The Trek of the Stars
by prettypanda117
Summary: What happens when Jim's life long best friend joins him on his grand adventure? Love, jealousy, action and thrills! Jim/OC with slight Bones/OC. UPDATE: The last few chapters are acting as previews to the next installment "She Falls Into Darkness". Skip to chp 10 for the previews!
1. Chapter 1

_Alright people this is my star trek fanfic. (yay!) Basically it takes place during the movie and Jimmy has a cute lady friend :D  
>If you haven't read my boondock saints story please do! It's pretty good if I do say so myself...alright! enough talk, time for the story!<em>

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek, I only own Lara Sheppard._

_Enjoy! Review please! :D_

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><p>"Please tell me this is a cruel, horrible joke Lara." James T. Kirk said clutching his cold beer to his chest. He locked his bright blue eyes with his best friends chocolate brown eyes.<p>

Lara laughed and sipped at her own drink, "No joke Jimmy. I am leaving tomorrow to join Starfleet and get out of this town once and for all."

Jim almost cried, almost. He turned to look out at the dance floor, bright lights flashing and thumping beets from a song he couldn't quite remember. She really was going to leave him all alone to steal cars and wreak havoc all by himself. "Do you know how bored I'm gonna be when you leave?" he said turning back to her.

The girl laughed again and ran a hand through her long chestnut hair, "You know you could always come with me. I've heard there are a lot of pretty girls at Starfleet Academy. Most of them are away from home for the first time…"

He rolled his eyes, "Not even the prospect of a pretty girl on each arm could get me to join. I've told you before Lara, Starfleet is not for me," Jim took another sip of his beer and looked over at the bar, "On second thought." He said walking off toward the bar and whatever girl had caught his attention.

Lara rolled her eyes, typical Jim. He was definitely a womanizer but underneath that thick skull of his was a wonderful guy. They had known each other for at least thirteen years. Both met in grade school when Jim helped Lara onto the tire swing on the playground. When Jim's friends started picking on the two about being each other's "secret crush" Lara thought that Jim would start to ignore her but instead he played along and eventually the bullying stopped. But they became close and ever since that day on the playground, they were practically attached at the hip.

When she looked up at the bar Lara noticed that Jim looked like he was having some trouble picking up whichever girl he wanted. _I better go and help out,_ Lara thought to herself standing up and making her way over to Jim. She would either help him get in or out with this situation. Lara had always ended up being Jim's "wingman" even though she wanted to be on the receiving end of Jim's pick up lines and his stupid jokes. Ever since the tenth grade when Jim and her went to homecoming together and he danced with her to every song, she had realized her feelings for him. Then in the twelfth grade when they won homecoming king and queen and Jim danced with her that same night to every song, despite the looks from his girlfriend, she had fallen for him.

_But he'll never feel the same,_ Lara thought to herself as she leaned up against the bar next to Jim, _As long as he is happy, I will be happy._ Although the thought of Jim happy with another girl made Lara feel incredibly jealous.

"…that means you've got a talent of tongue,"

The girl smiled despite looking annoyed, "I'm impressed. For a moment there I thought you were just a dumb hick who has sex with farm animals."

Lara punched Jim in the arm, "Not _only_," she turned toward the cadet and extended her hand, "Lara Sheppard, nice to meet you. Sorry about Jimmy here. He has the biggest ego this side of town."

Jim feigned offense, "I should let you know I am quite humble."

The cadet took Lara's hand and shook it firmly, "Uhura, nice to meet you too."

The three started to chat and Jim made another joke regarding farm animals and sex which made Lara roll her eyes and Uhura laugh.

"These townees aren't bothering you right?" some big, lumbering cadet came up behind the trio.

Uhura smiled at him and said, "Not really. I can handle it."

"You could handle me, that's an invitation." Jim said to her taking another sip of his beer.

Lara laughed at his joke, but the cadet didn't find the joke very funny. "Hey, you better mind your manners." He said getting increasingly hostile.

Jim rolled his eyes but kept an arm in front of Lara protectively. Trying to calm the cadet down Jim put a hand on the cadet's shoulder and said to him, "Relax cupcake, it was a joke."

Cupcake still didn't think it was funny he grabbed Jim by the shoulder and turned him toward himself and his possy. "Hey," Jim moved Lara completely behind himself, "Maybe you can't count but there are four of us and one of you."

Jim got into cupcake's face, "So get some more guys and then it'll be an even fight," he lightly patted the cadet's cheek. Jim turned back toward the bar and gave Lara the _let's get out of here before we get our asses kicked_ look. But cupcake wasn't finished; he turned Jim around and landed a solid punch across Jim's jaw.

Jim fell onto the bar, mouth open in shock. "Jim!" Lara said grabbing him by the shoulder and helping him stand up.

"Stop it!" she heard Uhura say to cupcake.

When Lara had Jim back on his feet she went to check his broken lip but he lightly moved her behind him again and kicked cupcake square in the stomach sending him flying across the room and to land on top of a table. He fell over, glasses shattering with him.

"Jim are you alright?" Lara said lightly cupping his face in her hands. Before she could get a reply out of him, Jim shoved her out of the way to block an oncoming attack from a second cadet. Jim blocked and got hit once but punched the cadet, sending him flying across the other side of the room into another table.

More cadets started beating on Jim and Lara had had enough. She joined in the fight knocking out one cadet and then sending a round house kick to another. Jim was punched again and fell onto Uhura, grabbing her breasts which angered her and she shoved him away despite her trying to defend him earlier.

Eventually it turned into an all out brawl, Lara held her own for a while but was soon overpowered and held back by a bloody faced cadet. She struggled to get free and started doing everything she could to get out of his grasp but he was too strong. "James!" she shouted out for help.

Jim knocked out another cadet and turned to see who had yelled out his name, "Lara! No get your hands off of her!" he said to the cadet holding back his best friend. But before he could reach her, cupcake had showed back up. His guys held him back while cupcake began laying punch after punch to his face. Jim fell on the floor, exhausted. Then another cadet picked him up off the floor and threw him onto a table and started laying more punches into his face.

Lara started crying, "No stop it! Stop! Jim!"

Uhura was getting scared, "Enough! Guys he's had enough!"

Then a piercing whistle silenced everybody in the room. The cadets turned and stood at attention, dropping Lara on the floor and leaving Jim on the table. Lara ignored whoever just whistled and made her way over to Jim.

She took his face in her hands, "You know for a genius level guy. You act like such an idiot sometimes."

"Outside, all of you…now!" an authoritative voice came after the loud whistle. All of the cadets moved out of the bar quickly, followed by the patrons as well. Then the whistler looked down at the duo, "Are you two alright?"

Jim looked back at him and said in a strained and tired voice, "You can whistle really loud, do you know that?"

Lara recognized the man's face after studying it, "Captain Pike. I…"

"No need Sheppard. Why don't you go on home, you need some rest. I'll make sure Jim gets home without anymore scrapes or bruises."

Lara helped Jim into a chair, "Yes sir. Is it alright if I say goodbye first?"

Pike gave her a curt nod and made his way toward the bar, "Make it quick." He said as he passed by.

"That's not a very good first impression on your new captain Lara." Jim said to her while struggling out of his jacket.

Lara helped him pull off the leather jacket and draped it over the seat behind him, "He's also my recruiter," she knelt beside him and put her hand on his knee, "So this is it Jimmy. Will you miss me?"

Jim gave her a sad smile, "I already do. Promise me you'll try to keep in touch?" he said taking her hand in his, an unreadable look on his bloodied face.

"Of course I will Jim," she stood and kissed him lightly on the cheek, "Don't be too rude to the captain. He's a pretty decent guy once you get past the Starfleet mask he wears all the time."

She turned to leave but was stopped when Jim called out to her, "Hey Lara?"

"Yeah?" she said turning to face him.

"I…be careful with cupcake? He didn't look like the sweet kind."

Lara laughed, "Please Jim, he isn't my type," she turned and left.

_She has a type?_ Jim thought as Captain Pike took a seat across from him.

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><p>Lara walked through the parking lot toward her motorcycle, an ancient model she found in a junk yard when she was sixteen. A 2011 Ducati Superbike, it took Lara at least three years to bring the thing back to working order and another year to modify the bike to deal with new fuel and engine parts.<p>

She put on her leather jacket and zipped it up all the way. She was about to put on her helmet when she heard a voice behind her, "It's amazing what a little alcohol can do to some testosterone high men,"

Lara laughed and turned to face Uhura standing behind her. "Sorry about Jim. He lets his ego do most of the talking. Actually his ego does all the talking,"

Uhura chuckled and crossed her arms, "And I'm sorry about what happened in there. I didn't know you two were together, and I wouldn't have done anything with him I—

Lara held up a hand, "We aren't together. We have just known each other since grade school and I always have to save his ass whenever he gets in a fight. I just hate to see him get hurt,"

"Oh," she said, "It's just the way he was protecting you and…never mind. But I'll see you at the shuttle tomorrow right?"

Lara put on her helmet and swung her leg over her bike. She opened up the visor, "Yeah bright and early. It's about time I get out of this dump." She kicked her bike to a start and turned and sped out of the parking lot.

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><p><em>Well there it is! Review pretty please with a cherry and sugar and everything else delicious on top! I will love you lots! :D<em>


	2. Chapter 2

_Here is chpater 2! So I've changed up the story just a itty bitty bit...say hello to the love triangle!_

_Review please! I will love you lots!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own star trek (sure wish I did...) I only own Lara Sheppard_

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><p>She had arrived right on time. Lara greeted Captain Pike and found herself a seat inside the shuttle. After getting comfortable and greeting Uhura she pulled on her seatbelt. That's when she heard an engine from a motorcycle stop outside the shuttle. She laughed and rolled her eyes, <em>I wonder what Pike said that convinced him to enlist.<em>

Jim stepped onto the shuttle and looked around; when he saw Lara he made his way over to her.

"Wait Jim the…" too late. Lara didn't get a chance to warn him about the bar he was heading toward.

Jim laughed off the pain and sat down next to her. "Did you miss me?"

"What did Pike say to you?" she asked him.

Jim got very serious and quiet for a while. When he looked at her, he said, "My father…he dared me to do better than my father," Lara put her hand on top of his. She didn't say anything but it was enough for Jim. "Look there's something I want to tell you."

"What is it?" she asked.

But he didn't get to say anything because of the rather loud argument that was coming onto the shuttle.

"I told you I don't need a doctor damn it I am a doctor!" They both looked over to see a rather disheveled man being practically dragged from the bathroom by a petite female Starfleet officer.

"You need to get back to your seat sir!"

"I had a seat in the bathroom with no windows!"

"You need to get back to your seat now!"

The doctor turned on the officer, "I suffer from aviaphodia. It means a fear of dying in something that flies."

The petite officer had had enough, "Sir for you own safety sit down or else I'll make you sit down."

They stared each other down for a moment then the doctor gave up and took a seat next to Jim. As he pulled on his seatbelt Captain Pike's voice came over the comm. announcing that they were clear for takeoff.

The doctor looked at Jim, "I may throw up on you," he warned.

"I think these things are pretty safe," Jim said trying to reassure him.

"It doesn't matter to me kid, one tiny crack in the hull and our blood boils in thirteen seconds. Solar flare might pop up, cook us in our seats. And wait until you're sitting pretty with a case of andorian shingles, see if you're still so relaxed when your eyeballs are bleeding. Space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence."

"Well I hate to break it to you but Starfleet operates in space." Jim said to him bluntly.

"Yeah well the wife took the whole damn planet with her in the divorce. All I got left is my bones," he said pulling out a flask of whiskey to sip from it.

He saw Jim eyeing the flask and handed it to him, "Jim Kirk," Jim said and took a drink.

Jim handed the flask to Lara; she took a sip as well, "Lara Sheppard."

When the doctor had it back he took a sip, "McCoy, Leonard McCoy."

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><p>THREE YEARS LATER<p>

The bell rang, thankfully. She ran out of the locker room as fast as she could to meet up with Jim and Leo. She passed by the linguistics hall and ran into Uhura. "Hey Lara slow down. Want to get some lunch with me and some other girls?"

"I'd love to but I'm running late right now to meet up with Jim and Leo. Maybe some other time, bye!" Lara practically ran through the halls.

Eventually she ran into Leo, literally. "Hey what's the rush?"

"Leo! Hey I thought I was going to miss you. Where's Jim?" she asked looking around.

Bones shrugged his shoulders, "Probably talking to that green chick."

Lara rolled her eyes, "Oh yeah, Gaila."

Bones changed the subject, "So, how was training?"

"Brutal, I think I have a new bruise somewhere," she said rolling her shoulders. When they arrived at Starfleet Academy three years ago Bones had gone straight into medical school. Jim went into officer training and Lara went into specialized combat and tactical analysis. This meant that she was being taught to specialize in every weapon known to man; she was also being trained intensely to eventually join Starfleet Special Forces. However, Captain Pike, her mentor and dear friend, advised that she focus on her classes.

At first Lara did not understand why Pike would want her to focus on her classes instead of joining SFSO but when she was promoted to Lieutenant several months ago she knew Pike had the right idea. Lara knew that if she kept up with her studies, she would eventually be able to man her own tactical console on the bridge of a ship as that ships chief tactical officer. Now she trained intensely and Captain Pike said if she kept this up, she'd be able to graduate in less than a year. Lara had never pushed herself so hard, and was proud of herself for getting this far. Currently Pike had put her in a class that taught her how to monitor and use weapon systems for a ship. It involved a lot of algorithms and codes, but once she understood how to read the jumble of letters and numbers, she found the class very easy.

"Hey Lara, what are you doing tonight?"

She turned toward Leo and shrugged, "I don't know, what are you doing?"

"Well you see I would have plans, but I need to restock the medical supplies, and a second pair of hands would really help…" Leo trailed off, his eyes landing on hers.

"Oh fine I'll help. But this time, I get to pick the music." Lara said crossing her arms playfully.

Leo rolled his eyes and smiled, "Only to get you to not wine the entire time."

"Lara! Bones!"

Lara turned and smiled, "Hey Jimmy. You ready to get some lunch? I'm starving."

"Hmm…maybe, what do you think Bones?" he said to his close friend slapping him on shoulder.

"Yes I am pretty hungry now that I think about it." The three made their way out of the building. Jim was humming a tune to himself and seemed to have a bit of a spring in his step.

Bones noticed and asked, "Why are you so happy?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Jim said innocently, steeling glances at a pair of female cadets walking by.

"Oh I don't suppose you do," said Bones.

Jim saw another pair of female cadets, "Hello ladies," he said to them.

Lara rolled her eyes, "Jim please,"

He laughed and kissed her cheek lightly then turned back to Bones, "I'm taking the test again."

Bones' eyes widened, "You've gotta be kidding me."

"Yeah, tomorrow morning and I want you there, both of you," Jim said to his friends.

"Jimmy I wouldn't miss it. Besides Pike wants to test me on how I handle reading and entering code under stress situations."

Bones scoffed, "You know I've got better things to do than watch you embarrass yourself for the third time. I'm a doctor Jim, I'm busy."

Jim eyed another girl walking by then stopped in front of Bones and Lara, "It doesn't bother you that nobody has ever passed the test?"

"Jim it's the Kobayashi Maru, no one passes the test and comes back for seconds let alone thirds." Bones said pointedly.

Jim rolled his eyes and smiled his _I have an idea_ smile. Lara knew that smile and crossed her arms, "Oh no Jimmy, don't you dare," she crossed her arms.

He laughed, slapped Bones' shoulder and said, "I gotta study," he kissed Lara on the cheek quickly before taking off.

"Study my ass," Bones said mostly to himself.

Lara sighed, "Well I'm still hungry…food?" she turned toward the cafeteria.

Bones shrugged and followed after her.

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><p>:D <em>please review! Next chapter will most likely be up tomorrow...or later today if I feel like it...<em>

_Thanks a bunch for reading!_


	3. Chapter 3

_I...have nothing to say...read and review!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek, I only own Lara Sheppard_

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><p>"Would you get up already? We're almost done," Leo said looking down at Lara who was currently sprawled out on the floor.<p>

"Oh five more minutes? I think my feet are bleeding," she said shaking her foot at his face. Leo rolled his eyes and knocked her foot away then sat down on the floor next to her. They sat in a comfortable silence for a moment.

"Hey Lara?" he said looking over at her.

"Yeah?"

"Do you like Jim?"

Lara's face became serious. She sat up and held her knees to her chest, rocking slightly. "Is it that obvious?"

"Oh I don't know maybe it's because you grow horns and a tail every time he's with another girl. Or maybe it's because you turn bright red every time he says your name? Or…maybe it's because you've been in school for three years and have not been seen with anyone besides me and Jim, which I'm pretty sure you aren't dating either of us," He leaned back on his hands and watched Lara's face cycle through several different emotions.

Eventually she looked up at him, "I love him Leo…and it sucks. Sometimes I think he feels the same, but there's other times when I feel like he just sees me as his 'little sister'. Do you think he feels the same?"

"I…" Leo trailed off, conflicted and lost in thought. He knew that Jim cared about Lara but he and Jim never really talked about _that_ level of caring for someone. If anything he wanted Lara to be happy, but a part of him secretly hoped that Jim did not feel the same, because if he did feel the same, then Leo's chances with her were slim to none.

"Hello? Earth to Leo!" she waved her hand in front of his face.

He swatted her hand away, "We don't really talk about that sort of stuff. I wouldn't know even if I wanted to," and boy did he want to.

She sighed and stood, "Look it's getting late, and I need to get up early for the test tomorrow," she raised her hands above her head and stretched, "I'll see you then alright?"

Leo stood as well, "Yeah maybe we can finish this some other time?"

Lara smiled at him, "Sure. Bye Leo. Get some sleep, you look tired," and with that she left him, not noticing his eyes trail over her body as she walked away.

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><p>"<em>Mom! Where are my shoes?" sixteen-year-old Lara Sheppard called across her home.<em>

"_Front door!" her mom called back from the kitchen._

_Lara was very excited. Her best friend Jim had just gotten his driver's license and was taking her to school in his brand new car. It had taken a lot of persuasion on his mom's part and a lot of kissing up to Jim's step dad, but Jim had finally gotten the keys to his step dad's old fixer upper. "I found em!" Lara shouted when she spotted her shoes carelessly thrown on the floor in front of the stairs._

"_Lara whatever you do, don't let Jim talk you into skipping again! I mean it this time!"_

"_What? Oh look he's here! Bye mom!" she grabbed her bag and ran out the door. Jim looked so good sitting in the driver's seat. Lara felt her heart flutter as she threw her bag in the back and slowly sat in the passenger's seat._

"_Well hello there good lookin," Jim wagged his eyebrows at her, "You ready for a totally school free day?"_

_Lara felt her stomach flip but ignored it, "That depends, where are we headed?" she asked pulling on her sunglasses._

"_Well if we're lucky away from here, if we're unlucky then…I can settle for a cheeseburger and a strawberry milkshake."_

"_Hmm…a cheeseburger sounds good, but a chocolate milkshake please, not that gross strawberry you always get."_

"_Well alright then," Jim fired up the engine, "What do you think the speed limit is?"_

_Lara slowly pulled on her seatbelt, "What speed limit?"_

_Jim winked at her and flew down the dirt road their laughter and screams of joy echoing behind them._

_As they sped down the road, Lara turned to face him and was startled to see Leo sitting in the seat, "Why do you torture yourself like this Lara?"_

"_Wha-what do you mean?"_

"_You know he doesn't love you." Leo said, their speed of the car rising._

"_No, you're wrong Leo. I know he loves me, I just know it!" she looked out the front window and saw a cliff coming toward them._

"_No he doesn't Lara…but I do, you know I care about you and I know you care about me too."_

_She shook her head, "Not the way I feel about Jim, and you'll never care for me the same way he does." The cliff was closer now, she knew then that they were going to drive over the edge. She panicked and reached over for the wheel but was pulled back to her seat by her seat belt. "No!" she yelled trying to pry her way out of the belt. "No! No! Jim help me! James!" she screamed as loud as she could but got no response. She felt the car fly over the cliffs edge and plummet toward the ground far below. Lara closed her eyes as she felt the darkness take over…_

"James!" she shouted bolting up into a sitting position. Her alarm was blaring loudly across the room. Lara sighed and rubbed her eyes. _Just a dream Lara, just a really bad dream._

She stood slowly and turned off her alarm. _Need to shower, clear my head._ She thought as she made her way to the bathroom. Twenty minutes later she stepped out of the bathroom, hair dried and make up applied.

Lara stepped up to her closet and pulled out the standard Starfleet cadet uniform. After putting that on she zipped up her boots and stood in front of her full length mirror. She ran her fingers through her long hair and after a while decided to braid it. A few minutes later, her long hair was hanging over her right shoulder in a classic fish tail braid.

Satisfied with her look she grabbed her books and left her room making her way to the simulation room. Today was going to be very interesting, she could just feel it.

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><p><em>Thanks a bunch for reading!<em>


	4. Chapter 4

_Ok so this chapter is pretty long but hey why not? So to all you loyal Star Trek fans out there, please forgive me when I describe Lara working at her station...I didn't know any other way to describe it, and I wanted to show off how good she is :D_

_Enough talk! On with the story!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek...I only own Lara Sheppard_

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><p>"We are receiving a distress signal from the USS Kobayashi Maru; the ship has lost power and is stranded. Starfleet command has ordered us to rescue them." Uhura delivered her role perfectly, but not without some sarcasm.<p>

"Starfleet command has ordered us to rescue them…captain," Jim said turning his seat away from Uhura to face to front of the "bridge".

Lara couldn't help but snicker at that one. The alarm systems started to sound off and Lara started typing in codes rapidly.

"Two Klingon vessels have entered the neutral zone and are locking on us." Leo reported from his station. Despite him being a doctor, he was a part of the simulation.

Lara entered in more codes and solved an algorithm quickly. "That's okay," she heard Jim say from the captain's chair.

She raised an eyebrow, he had something planned. "That's okay?" she heard Leo ask.

When she looked back, Jim answered casually, "Yeah don't worry about it".

Lara entered another algorithm.

"Three more Klingon war birds decloaking and targeting our ship," Leo reported, "I don't suppose this is a problem either." He said gesturing toward the view screen.

Several lines of code ran down her screen, "They're firing captain", Lara reported while she ran her eyes over the codes that reported the number, and strength of the missiles. She punched in another equation to help the computer compensate and keep shield strength up.

"Alert medical bay to prepare to receive _all_ crew members from the damaged ship." She heard Jim say to Uhura. Lara rolled her eyes and entered in another line of data.

Uhura turned to face Jim and crossed her arms, annoyed she said, "And how do you expect us to rescue them when we're surrounded by Klingons, _captain_?"

Jim turned his chair toward her, a sly smile on his face, "Alert medical".

Uhura seethed and punched in the orders onto her screen. The Klingons began firing causing the alarms to sound off. Lara looked up at the observation deck to see Captain Pike watching her with a data pad in his hand. _Probably watching how fast I work_, she thought to herself.

"Our ship is being hit," Leo reported, "Shields at sixty percent". _I know, I know,_ Lara thought to herself as her fingers flew over the screen entering in a lengthy equation to try and raise shield strength to compensate for the power of the Klingon missiles.

"I understand," Jim said, pulling out an apple from somewhere in his seat.

"Well should we I don't know, fire back?" Leo asked, very confused by his friend's behavior.

"No," Jim said taking a bite out of his apple nonchalantly.

"Of course not," she heard Leo mutter under his breath. She grinned and started to enter in a few more lines of code. She was almost finished when the screens fizzled out and everything went black for a moment. The commanders in the observation deck went into a small chaos trying to figure out what had just happened.

After a few moments, everything came back on. Lara was seething, all of her previous codes were gone, and she didn't get a chance to enter them. Then she heard Jim say to her, "Sheppard, arm photons prepare to fire on the Klingon war birds."

Lara raised an eyebrow but didn't protest, she was being evaluated, "Yes sir". She turned and pressed several different buttons, arming the photons and a few other systems just in case the "captain" had some other ideas.

"Jim, there shields are still up," Leo said pointing at the Klingons.

"Are they?" Jim said taking another large bite out of his apple.

Leo looked at his screen, "No, they're not."

"Fire on all enemy ships," she heard Jim say to her", One photon each should do, let's not waste ammunition."

Lara's fingers flew over the console as she entered in codes to compensate for trajectory and speed of the photons, "Target locked and acquired on all war birds," she said looking up to Pike to see if he was watching, "Firing." She released the photons; they all hit right on target and destroyed each target with one hit, "All ships destroyed captain", she reported. When Lara looked up at Pike, again he nodded to her once then shook his head when he saw Jim standing. Lara turned her seat around and watched him.

"Begin rescue of the stranded crew—so, we've managed to eliminate all enemy ships, no one on board was injured, and the successful rescue of the Kobayashi Maru crew is under way." Jim took another large bite out of his apple and chewed loudly. Lara shook her head and laughed despite how furious she was with Jim. She knew he would do something, she just knew it.

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><p>Lara had just changed out of her simulation uniform and was heading to her next class when she was violently pulled off to the side of the hallway by none other than Uhura. "Ow! Hey watch that vice grip," Lara said rubbing her now sore arm.<p>

Uhura ignored her comment and stared her down, "Did you have anything to do with today?"

"Oh come on, I may have helped Jimmy steal a car or two but I would never help him cheat on a test, especially one designed by a Vulcan," she rolled her eyes and turned to walk away but ran into what felt like a brick wall. When she looked up, rubbing her nose, she felt her heart drop, "Commander Spock, what can I do for you sir?"

He put his hands behind his back and addressed Uhura, "Lieutenant, give us a moment?"

Anger flashed in her eyes briefly but she stormed off, lips tight, and fists clenched. Lara slowly met eyes with the Vulcan and felt like calling for help, but that would just be downright embarrassing. "What do you need sir?"

"You are close with Mr. Kirk?"

"Um…yes we've been friends for a very long time…sir."

"Do you have any knowledge as to his actions during this morning's simulation?"

Lara shrugged, "Your guess is as good as mine, uh sir," she straightened her back", But believe me when I say that Jim couldn't have done anything wrong".

He raised an arched brown at her, "You have that much faith in him?"

She felt her cheeks turn red, "Uh…yes sir. I-I care about him, a lot. I would follow him anywhere, even if he did cheat on a test. I'm not saying he did, but, what I'm trying to say is Jim is a good person. Now I know he acts like a complete moron sometimes but, he has the potential to do the right thing, to do great things actually."

"What is your point Miss Sheppard?"

"I…I think I'm trying to ask you to be gentle to Jim. He may act like an idiot one moment but that nerdy genius is there, you just have to find him…" she trailed off and looked up to find any reaction from Spock. Of course she saw none. _Damn emotionless Vulcan_. He looked like he was about to say something when she heard the admirals voice over the intercom system calling a meeting for all cadets to attend immediately.

"You should head to the meeting. I will think on what you have told me Miss Sheppard." And with that the Vulcan turned and walked away, stiff and stoic as ever.

"Lara!" she heard her name behind her and turned to see Jim walking toward her briskly with Leo close behind.

"Hey, you ready for this meeting?"

"Yeah, I wonder what's going on." Jim said flashing a smile at a passing cadet.

Leo rolled his eyes, "As long as it's not another lecture on our weekend behavior…that was pure torture."

"I blame Jim for that one, he did host that stupid Halloween party last year", Lara smiled at the memories of cheap costumes and even cheaper booze.

"Hey!" Jim said laughing at the memories as well, "If I remember correctly you were the one who said we should have the party."

"I threw out the idea, you were the one who actually made it happen", she giggled pointing her finger at his nose.

"Don't even think about it Lara…" Jim said watching her finger closely.

She laughed, "What? Come on Jimmy, follow my finger", she moved her finger from right to left, Jim's eyes following it closely.

Bones stared at them, "What in the world are you doing?"

"Jim hates going cross eyed…and when I touch his nose. You could call it a win/win for me", she moved her finger toward his nose slowly.

"Well it's a lose/lose for me…stop it, you're gonna make my head hurt Lara."

"No." her finger was dangerously close to his nose now.

Bones still didn't understand, "Why do you hate for your nose to be touched?"

"His nose is very tick-ah!" Jim swatted her hand away then picked her up and swung her over his shoulder. "Jim! I have a very short skirt on! Put me down!"

"I'll cover it up," he said moving his hand dangerously close to her backside.

"Whoa! James Tiberius Kirk you put me down right now!" she said despite her fluttering stomach and rapidly beating heart.

"Why did you have to use the whole name?" Jim said still holding her.

"Because I know how much you hate it-ah!" he flipped her so that he was now carrying her bridal style, "Would you stop tossing me around like this?"

"Come on Jim, we're almost at the assembly hall anyway." Bones pointed out.

"Fine," Jim relented gently putting Lara back down, his hand lingering on her lower back, "But only cause I love you," he said pinching her nose lightly.

"Yeah yeah, I've heard it before. Come on let's get this over with." Lara said the feeling of Jim's warm hand on her back still there as she took a seat in between him and Leo.

* * *

><p>After the initial ceremonies the meeting got under way, Admiral Barnett began. "This cession has been called to resolve a troubling matter. James T. Kirk step forward."<p>

Jim had a look of confusion. As he stood Lara squeezed his hand reassuringly. He made his way down to the podium and stood straight and confident.

"Cadet Kirk evidence has been submitted to this council suggesting that you violated the ethical code of conduct pursue into regulation 17.43 of the Starfleet ethic code. Is there anything you care to say before we begin sir?" Admiral Barnett said hands folded in front of him on the table.

Jim paused for a moment, and then he said, "Yes, I believe I have the right to face my accuser directly."

Admiral Barnett looked to the audience. "Step forward please," the admiral said, "This is Commander Spock, he is one of our most distinguished graduates. He's programmed the Kobayashi Maru exam for the last four years, Commander." Barnett gave Spock the floor. Lara felt her heart sink; she really hoped that what she said to the Commander had helped him go easy on Jim, whatever he planned on doing.

The Vulcan put his hands behind his back and began, "Cadet Kirk you somehow managed to install and activate a subroutine programming code thereby changing the conditions of the test."

Jim put his hands behind his back as well and shrugged his shoulders, "Your point being?"

"In academic vernacular, you cheated." Barnett said bluntly.

Murmurs and whispers started to go around the chamber. Lara looked at Bones. They were both starting to get very nervous.

"Let me ask you something I think we all know the answer to," Jim spoke up, "the test itself is a cheat isn't it? You programmed it to be unwinnable."

Spock kept his calm, "Your argument precludes a possibility of a no win scenario."

Jim put his hands on either side of his podium, "I don't believe in no win scenarios."

"Then not only did you violate the rules but you failed to understand the principle lesson." Spock said, still calm and collected.

"Please enlighten me," Jim said. Lara could tell he was getting frustrated.

"You of all people should know Cadet Kirk, a captain cannot cheat death." Lara balled her hands into fists.

"I of all people." Jim repeated, looking down at his hands.

"Your father," the Vulcan said, "Lieutenant George Kirk assumed command of his vessel before being killed in action did he not?" _No need to be so cold about the whole thing_, Lara thought to herself.

"I don't think you like the fact that I beat your test." Jim said, which might have been true but Spock ignored it.

"Furthermore you have failed to define the purpose of the test."

Now Jim was really frustrated, "Enlighten me again."

"The purpose is to experience fear, fear in the face of certain death to accept that fear and maintain control of one's self and ones crew. This is a quality expected in every Starfleet captain."

Jim looked defeated. He was about to say something but a messenger came in and delivered a data pad directly to Admiral Barnett. His eyebrows creased but he announced what he had just read to the audience, "We've received a distress call from Vulcan. With our primary fleet engaged in the Lorentian System, I hereby order all cadets to report to hangar 1 immediately, dismissed." The admirals stood and left and so did the cadets.

Lara and Bones made their way down to Jim. Lara came up to him and put her hand on his shoulder. He gave her a half smile, one that didn't quite reach his eyes. He turned to watch Spock walk out with the other commanders. "Who was that pointy-eared bastard?"

"I don't know," Leo said, "But I like him."

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><p><em>Thanks a bunch for reading! Read and Review!<em>


	5. Chapter 5

_Two chapters in one night? I'm on a roll! Ok so I know I've probably been lacking in the Bones/Lara interaction but it's coming people I promise. _

_And thank you so much to my reviewers, **BrowneyedShamer **and **angel's lil devil angel. **You have both been so much help and have given me great ideas! :D i love you two!_

_Anyway...on with the next chapter!_

_Disclaimer; I do not own Star Trek...I only own Lara Sheppard_

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><p>The three made their way to hangar 1. Ordered chaos was going on. People were scrambling everywhere into shuttles and taking things on and off the shuttles. Commanders were calling out cadet's names and where they were to be assigned. Leo and Lara were both assigned to the USS Enterprise, but not Jim. "They didn't call my name…" Jim said walking off after the commander.<p>

Bones and Lara followed, curious as to the reason why Jim's name would not be called. "Commander? Sir you didn't call my name. Kirk, James T."

The commander's finger was moving rapidly over a console screen when he answered, "Kirk you're on academic suspension. That means you're grounded," he turned to face Jim, "until the academy board rules."

Jim's shoulders slumped, and Lara felt really bad for him. It was his dream to serve on a starship, and now that his chance was upon him, he was grounded because of that hard headed Vulcan.

"Jim the board will rule in your favor," Bones said trying to console his friend as best he could, "Most likely…look Jim, I gotta go."

Lara stood next to Jim, "I'll catch up with you later Leo."

"Lara…" but stopped when he saw the look in her eyes. He faced Jim and tried but failed at finding words to console Jim.

Jim turned and shook Leo's hand, "Yeah, go. Be safe."

Leo turned and walked away. Lara touched Jim's arm, "Will you be alright?"

The two moved out of the way of an officer carrying a large case. Jim was about to answer when they both felt a hand grab each of their arms. "Come with me." Leo said to them dragging them both somewhere in the hangar.

"Bones, where are we going?" Jim asked keeping up with the doctor's brisk walk.

Leo held up a hand, "You'll see." He said leading them into a small room.

"What are you doing?" Jim asked when they entered.

"I'm doing you a favor, I couldn't just leave you there looking all pathetic," he said grabbing several different colored vials from a shelf, "Take a seat."

Jim sat down and Lara stood at his right side. "Leo, whatever you're planning had better work. I don't feel like getting caught and grounded like hot shot over here," when Jim looked up at her with defeated eyes she put a hand on his back, "No offense Jim."

"None taken," he said.

Leo loaded a colored vial into a needle, "I'm going to give you a vaccine against viral infection from mulvaran mud flees." he braced his hands on Jim's neck than released the shot.

Jim turned his head from the pain, "Ow! What for?"

"To give you the symptoms," Leo said turning and collecting more things from around the small room.

"What are you talking about?" Jim asked still feeling the pain from the shot.

"You're going to start losing vision in your left eye."

Jim turned toward Lara, "Yeah I already have…"

"Oh and you're gonna get a really bad headache, and a flop sweat." He pulled on a small bag and picked up Jim from his left side. Lara helped and picked him up from his right side, supporting his weight as he was now too disoriented to walk by himself.

"You call this a favor?" Jim asked as he was practically dragged out of the lab.

"Yeah you owe me one." Bones said to him.

They made their way to the shuttle that would take them to the Enterprise. "Lara go ahead of us…we will meet you on board." Leo said holding up Jim.

"Are you sure?" she hesitated.

"Yes, it won't look right if the chief tactical officer is helping a medical officer carry his patient on board, now go."

Lara gently touched Jim's sweaty forehead and gave one last look to Leo then went ahead. "Sheppard N. Lara. Welcome aboard the Enterprise. Captain Pike wants to speak with you; he's waiting for you at the pilot's chair."

She thanked the officer and stepped onto the shuttle. She snaked her way through the small, crowded shuttle and knocked on the door to the pilot's cabin. "Come in," she heard Pike's voice on the other side.

When she entered she saw only Pike in the pilot's chair, a data pad in hand. "Captain Pike," she saluted, "You wanted to see me sir?"

"At ease Lieutenant, take a seat." He pointed at the copilot's chair. When Lara was settled he looked up from his data pad, "I was very impressed by you today."

Lara blushed, "Thank you sir. If I may ask, what is this about? You obviously didn't want to just tell me how you thought I did."

Pike grinned, "Two reasons why I want to speak with you. First, since I am captain of the Enterprise I get to choose all of my officers who help me on the bridge. I want you to be my chief tactical officer Sheppard."

"Thank you sir, I…thank you." She smiled wide at him and shook his hand enthusiastically.

"The second reason why I've called you hear is to discuss Mr. Kirk." He said putting away his data pad.

Lara raised an eyebrow at him, "What about sir?"

For once, Captain Pike seemed at a loss for words, "Just…since you two seem to be close…"

"Yes sir…oh! Not in that way, we are just very good friends," she said suddenly feeling awkward.

"Yes, well. Since he only ever seems to listen to you, could you do me a favor and talk some sense into him?"

Lara laughed, "Sir I don't know what you mean."

"You and I both know he cheated on that test. Just when we get back from Vulcan, see if you can tell him something, anything would help."

"Yes sir I will. So when we arrive, do I report straight to the bridge?" she said standing up.

Pike turned his seat and started up the engines, "Head to your quarters, there will be an officers uniform waiting for you. Once you've changed report to the bridge, you're station will be at the right hand side of the captain's chair. It's the standing kind…sorry," he turned to face her.

"Oh that's alright captain, I guess all of that SFSO training will pay off. I'm so used to standing for a long period of time."

Pike smiled, "Good. Go find a seat Lieutenant, we will be arriving shortly."

* * *

><p>Lara found a seat near Bones and Jim. When the shuttle docked Lara said a quick goodbye to Bones and kissed Jim lightly on the cheek before she left them. She found her quarters and entered. They were small but big enough for one person. Lara opened up the closet and found her uniform, a red short dress. <em>Well it's a good thing I work out every day<em>, she thought to herself as she pulled on the uniform. It stopped barely above her mid thigh, and Lara felt that she was exposed.

She looked in the mirror, fixed her makeup and made sure her braid was secured than headed up to the bridge. She entered and found her station. Lara stood in front of it and started checking weapon systems and other things about the ship that she needed to know. When Lara was satisfied with her station, she heard the doors swoosh open. She turned and saw Commander Spock, the Enterprises science officer walk to his station and take a seat.

Pike walked in and addressed the commander, "Mr. Spock."

"Captain," Spock said as he took his seat, "Engineering reports, ready for launch."

"Thank you," Pike said walking around to his seat, "Ladies and gentlemen the maiden voyage of our newest flag ship deserves more pomp and circumstance than we can afford today. The christening will just have to be our reward for a safe return. Carry on," he said sitting and turning on the comm.

"All decks, this is Captain Pike prepare for immediate departure. Helm, thrusters." Pike said to the officer at the helm.

"Moorings retracted captain, dock control reports ready. Thrusters fired, separating from space dock." He reported.

Lara saw lines of code on her screen reporting to her what the Lieutenant had just done. Her fingers flew over the console. She felt the ship move as it pulled away from the dock. Either that or she was just imagining the feeling.

"The fleets cleared space dock captain. All ships ready for warp."

"Set course for Vulcan," Pike said turning his chair around to watch his bridge crew.

"Aye aye captain, course laid in." the helmsmen reported.

"Maximum warp, punch it." Pike ordered.

Lara prepared herself for the number of codes that would stream in once the ship went to warp. She watched all of the other ships of the fleet zip off into warp…but not Enterprise. The engines roared, and then died.

There was a moment of silence as the helmsmen pulled back on the thrusters. "Lieutenant where's helmsmen McKenna?" Pike asked calmly.

"He has lung worm sir, he couldn't report to his post. I'm Hikaro Sulu," he said turning to face the captain.

"You are a pilot right?" Pike asked.

Sulu smiled politely, "Uh, very much so sir," he said turning toward his console sounding flustered, "I'm uh, not sure what's wrong here."

Pike turned toward Lara; she gave him a half smile. "Is the parking brake on?" Pike asked sarcastically.

"Uh no," Sulu said laughing nervously, "I'll figure it out, I'm just uh…"

"Have you disengaged the external inertianal dampener?" Spock spoke up from his seat.

Sulu paused in his fumbling, than calmly released the dampener, "Ready for warp sir."

Pike grinned, "Let's punch it." Sulu revved the engine and the Enterprise jumped to warp.

* * *

><p>Several minutes passed while the bridge crew ran diagnostics over the ship. Sulu turned from his console, "Engines at maximum warp Captain."<p>

Pike leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, "Russian whiz-kid what's your name again?"

The co-pilot turned to face the captain, "Ensign Chekov, Pavel Andreivich sir."

"Fine, Chekov, Pavel Andreivich. Begin ship wide mission broadcast."

Chekov turned toward his console, "Yes sir, rapid tu."

Lara giggled at the boy's accent, and then began reading the codes coming from the warp drives. She wondered how Jim was doing, and hoped that wherever he was, he was currently not getting into more trouble than he already was.

The Russian co-pilot tried the voice command but not without difficulty, "Ensign Authorization code, nine, five, wictor, wictor, two."

The computer beeped loudly, "Authorization not recognized."

Chekov cursed quietly than tried again, "Ensign Authorization code…nine, five…victor…victor, two," the computer was satisfied and then the ensign began his report, "May I have your attention please. At 22 hundred hours telemetry detected an anomaly in the neutral zone what appeared to be a lightning storm in space.

Soon after, Starfleet received a distress signal from the Vulcan high command that their planet was experiencing seismic activity. Our mission is to assess the condition of Vulcan and assist in evacuations if necessary. We should be arriving at Vulcan within…three minutes, thank you for your time."

Lara listened intently to the report. Something just didn't feel right about this whole distress signal. She shrugged off the feeling and returned to her work. She entered in a code and opened up on her screen the security footage from medical bay. She saw Jim lying on a medical table but he sat up abruptly. Bones walked over to him but stepped back in shock. Lara had to suppress a gasp when she saw that Jim's hands were large and swollen.

She had to get down there to check on him but she couldn't just leave the bridge. She turned toward Pike, "Captain, may I go see the doctor?"

"What for?" Pike asked not looking up from a data pad in his hands.

"I'm feeling a little nauseous. First time flying at warp sir."

"Fine go, make it quick." Pike said not looking at her once.

She thanked him quickly than made her way down to medical. She just stepped off the elevator when she was almost run over by Jim. He grabbed her by the shoulders, "Lara! Come with me!" he said not stopping and running over to the console by the elevator. "Computer find crew member Uhura."

Bones had a briefcase full of medical equipment and was trying to administer something to counter act Jim's reaction to whatever he had been given. He was rambling about how he hadn't seen anything like this since medical school but Lara was too concerned about Jim. He scanned the computer screen, "We're flying into a trap!" he said taking Lara's hand into his own severely swollen one and running off.

"Jim hold on!" she said trying to calm him down. They stopped on one of the lower floors; several people were running back and forth. Jim was scowering the crowd for Uhura and Lara was trying to keep Jim still for a few seconds.

"Damn it Jim stay still!" Bones said shooting another vaccine into Jim's neck.

Jim turned his neck in pain, "Ow! Stop it!" He spotted Uhura and ran to her, followed by Lara and Bones.

"What the hell is going on Leo?" she asked not breathing heavily from all the running.

Leo however, was, "Severe reaction to that vaccine and the sedative. We need to keep his heart rate down."

"Oh my god! What's wrong with your hands?" Uhura nearly screamed.

Jim shrugged it off, "Who is responsible for the Klingon attack, and was it Rommullum…"

"Was it what?" Uhura asked flustered.

"Was it is—whatth happening to my mouth?" Jim turned to Bones.

"You've got numb-tongue?" he asked calmly.

"Numb-tongue?" Jim was now very annoyed and frustrated.

"I can fix that!" Bones said preparing yet another vaccine.

"Was the ship what?" Uhura asked again.

"Rommullum." Jim repeated for her.

"What?"

"Romulan."

"Romulan? Yes!"

"Ye—ah! Ow! Damnith!" he cursed when Bones injected another sedative into his neck.

"Jim wait! Hang on!" Lara shouted after him as he practically dragged her onto to the bridge with Bones and Uhura following close behind. She was going to be in big trouble for helping him get on board.

"Captain Pike sir we have to stop the ship!" Jim said once he came to a halt. He still had a tight grip on Lara's hand.

"Kirk," Pike said surprised, "How the hell did you get on board the Enterprise?" he said, than he glanced at Lara and Jim's entwined fingers. Lara lowered her eyes, a blush creeping up her neck.

Bones stepped up and placed a hand on Jim's shoulder, "Sir this man is under the influence of a severe reaction to a vaccine. He is completely delusional."

"Bones! Bones! Bones!" Jim said over the doctor to make him stop, "Vulcan is not experiencing a natural disaster, it's being attacked by Romulans."

"Romulans," Pike exclaimed, "Cadet Kirk, I think you've had enough attention for one day, McCoy take him back to medical, we'll have words later."

"Aye captain," Bones said trying to restrain Jim but he wouldn't step down. He stepped up to be eye level with the captain, pulling Lara up with him.

"Sir that same anomaly—

"Mr. Kirk!" Pike said surprised by his actions.

Spock stepped up behind Jim, "Mr. Kirk should not be aboard this vessel."

Jim rolled his eyes at the Vulcan, "Look I get it you're a…" Lara lost track of where their little argument went because they started to talk over each other. "Try it! This cadet is trying to save the bridge!" Kirk exclaimed, silencing Spock.

"By recommending a full stop mid-warp during a rescue mission?" Spock challenged.

Jim turned to the captain, "It's not a rescue mission, listen to me it's an attack—"

"Based on what facts?" Spock challenged again.

Jim was silent for a moment than looked Spock dead in the eyes, "That same anomaly, a lightning storm that we saw in space today also occurred on the day of my birth, before a Romulan ship attacked the USS Kelvin," he turned to face Pike, "You know that sir I read your dissertation. That ship which had formidable and advanced weaponry was never seen or heard from again.

The Kelvin was attacked in a place on the edge of Klingon space and at 23 hundred hours last night, there was an attack. Forty seven Klingon war-birds were destroyed by Romulans sir and it was reported that the Romulans were in one ship, one massive ship."

"And you know of this Klingon attack how?" Pike asked.

Jim paused and then turned toward Uhura; she spoke up when the captain gave her a questioning look. "Sir I intercepted and translated the transmission myself. Kirk's report is accurate."

"We're warping into a trap sir, the Romulans are waiting for us I promise you that." Jim said holding Lara's hand tightly.

Pike turned toward Spock, "The cadet's logic is sound," he said stoically, "And lieutenant Uhura is unmatched in zino-linguistics, we would be wise to accept her conclusion."

The captain turned toward the linguistics officer, "Scan Vulcan space check for any transmissions in Romulan."

The officer unfortunately didn't know or understand the Romulan language. Uhura however did, and relived the officer of his duty and took over for him. When Pike asked to hail the other ships, it was reported that no ships were responding. Uhura was also not picking up any transmission.

Jim looked to the captain, "Sir it's because they're being attacked."

"Shields up, red alert," Pike said calmly sitting in his chair. Lara squeezed Jim's hand than moved to her station entering in codes to power up the shields and the weapons systems.

"Arrival at Vulcan in five seconds," Sulu reported, "Four…three…two…one." The Enterprise dropped out of warp into a debris field of left over hulls and parts from the rest of the fleet.

Sulu navigated through the debris as best as he could; only scraping the engines of its new coat of paint. When they exited the debris, what Lara saw made her heart sink. It was the largest Romulan ship she had ever seen. It was at least ten times the size of the Enterprise, and that was just a guess.

Lara's station started beeping rapidly, "Captain they're locking torpedoes." She reported calmly despite her racing heart.

"Divert auxiliary power resort the cells to forward shields!" Pike ordered. Lara did so, her fingers flying over her console. The Romulans released several torpedoes.

"Sir medical bay has been hit, it's been breached." Lara reported to Pike as she diverted a small amount of shield powers to cover up the breech in the medical bay hull.

"Sulu, status report." Pike's stoic, calm voice ordered over the chaos in the bridge.

"Shields at thirty percent." The pilot read off his console.

Lara entered in several more lines of jumbled codes, "They're weapons are powerful Captain, we can't take another hit like that."

"Get me Starfleet command," Pike ordered.

"Captain," Spock spoke up from his seat, "The Romulan ship has lowered some kind of high energy pulse device into the atmosphere. Its signal appears to be blocking our communications and transport abilities."

"All power to forward shields, prepare to fire all weapons." Pike ordered.

Lara did as he commanded, entering several different algorithms and codes. Her hands were shaking from the adrenaline and anxiety. "Weapons ready sir." She said, her voice staying completely calm.

"Captain we're being hailed." Uhura stood from her new seat in anticipation.

The face of the Romulan captain appeared on screen, "Hello," he greeted casually.

"I'm Captain Christopher Pike, to whom am I speaking?"

The Romulan captain nodded in Pike's direction, "Hi Christopher, I'm Nero."

"You've declared war against the federation, withdraw, and I'll agree to arrange a conference with Romluan leadership at a neutral location."

"I do not speak for the Empire," Nero said, his voice turned serious; "We stand apart. As does your Vulcan crew member, isn't that right Spock?"

Spock stood and walked slowly to stand by Pike, "Pardon me but I do not believe that you and I are acquainted."

"No we're not," Nero said, watching Spock, "Not yet. Spock there's something I'd like you to see. Captain Pike, your transporter has been disabled; as you can see by the rest of your armada, you have no choice. You will man a shuttle, and come aboard the Nurata for negotiations. That is all." The transmission ended, and silence filled the bridge.

Pike stood from his seat slowly. Jim knew what he was going to do, "He'll kill you, and you know that."

Spock agreed, "Survival is unlikely."

"Captain we gain nothing by diplomacy going over to that ship is a mistake."

"I to agree, you should rethink your strategy."

Pike looked at both Spock and Kirk, "I understand that," he looked around the bridge and pointed at Lara, "Sheppard, with me. Are there any other officers who have been trained in advanced hand-to-hand combat?"

Sulu raised a hand, "I have training sir."

"Come with me," he said making his way to the elevator, "Kirk you to, you're not supposed to be here anyway. Chekov, you have the con."

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><p><em>Whew! That was a long chapter! :) read and review!<em>


	6. Chapter 6

_Holy extremely difficult chapter batman! Haha...so yeah this chapter took me quite a while to write, I hate love triangles...so complicated! D: Oh well it turned out pretty good and...here it is!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek...I only own Lara Sheppard_

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><p>Lara turned to follow the others to the lift when she felt a strong hand on her elbow. She turned to see Leo standing there, a concerned look on his face. "What's wrong?"<p>

"Lara…" he trailed off, worry and fear evident in his eyes.

"I'll be fine Leo. I promise." She walked into the lift and watched him until the doors closed on her. Lara couldn't help but feel a need to come through this little mission successfully, she just couldn't bear the thought of what would happen to Leo if something bad happened to her.

* * *

><p>The ride down was quiet but the energy in the air was tense, the officers didn't know what their captain was planning. When the elevator came to a stop, all five of them walked off following after Pike as he started laying out his plan.<p>

"Without transport abilities we can't beam off the ship, we can't assist Vulcan, we can't do our job. Mr. Kirk, Miss Sheppard, Mr. Sulu, and Engineer Olsen will space jump from the shuttle. You will land on that machine they've lowered into the atmosphere that's scrambling our gear, you'll get inside, you'll disable it, and then you'll beam back to the ship.

Mr. Spock, I'm leaving you in command of the Enterprise. Once we have transport capability and communications back up, you'll contact Starfleet and tell them what the hell is going on here. And if all else fails, fall back and rendezvous with the fleet in the Lorentian system." They came to a halt at another elevator that would take them down a level to the shuttles. Pike looked at Jim, "Kirk I'm promoting you to first officer."

Several versions of "what" came after that. Than Spock asked the captain, "Captain? Please I apologize, the complexity of human pranks escape me."

"It's not a prank. And I'm not the captain Spock, you are." Pike entered the elevator followed by Sulu, Lara and a smirking Kirk.

Jim looked to the captain and asked, "Sir after we knock out that drill what happens to you?"

"Oh I guess you'll have to come get me," Pike looked to Spock, "Careful with the ship Spock, she's brand new."

They rode this elevator in silence again and exited quickly. Pike pointed them toward the space jump uniforms. There they met Engineer Olsen, who seemed very excited. He was already dressed and placing the charges in his pack. Sulu pulled out a golden jump suit and Kirk pulled out a silvery blue one.

Lara went to her own locker and pulled out a metallic white suit. She went into the bathroom and put on her suit, admiring herself in the mirror briefly before walking out to find Sulu and Jim preparing their packs.

Sulu started asking Olsen questions about the charges but Jim just stopped what he was doing and stared at Lara. She placed her white helmet on the bench and raised an eyebrow at him, "What?" and when she saw the look in his eyes, "James T. Kirk are you jealous?" she giggled putting her hands on her hips.

"I don't know what you're talking about." he said avoiding her eyes.

"I can't believe it. You are actually jealous, well Jim I never took you for the jealous type." Lara said strapping her pack on. He was about to say something but was interrupted by Sulu calling them over to the shuttle. Lara gave him one last look that said _drop it_ then made her way to the small shuttle, followed closely by Jim.

They took their seats, Olsen and Sulu on the ends, Jim and Lara in between. "You brought the charges right?" Jim asked Olsen.

"Oh yeah," the engineer said, "I'm ready to kick some Romulan ass." He grinned. Lara rolled her eyes and started to focus. She had only done a few space jumps but they were all in training and she never had to land on a giant ass drill. She had to admit though, she loved the adrenaline rush she got from a space jump. If Starfleet has taught her anything, it's to love a good rush.

"So what kind of training do you have?" Jim asked Sulu.

"Fencing." Sulu said proudly. Jim just looked at him, and Lara raised an eyebrow. They were getting closer to the jump. Lara felt her stomach flutter, she was about to do something that could be deadly.

"Jim?" she faced him and continued when he faced her, "Pull your chute when I say to alright?"

"Lara you don't…"

"Promise me Jim! And you to Sulu! And Olsen! I don't want to lose anybody, we've already lost the rest of the fleet." They all nodded at her.

"Prepare for pre-jump." Pike said from the pilot's chair. Jim began to put on his helmet, Lara did the same and soon all four had their helmets sealed tight. When all four officers were ready, they stood and grabbed the bars that they were meant to hold.

"Gentlemen and lady, we are approaching the drop zone. You have one shot to land on that platform. They may have defenses so pull your chute as late as possible. Three, two, one," all four were magnetized and now had their backs to the ceiling of the shuttle, "Remember the Enterprise won't be able to beam you back until you turn off that drill. Good luck." He said than they were free falling.

It was silent. No sound in space. The only noise was their breathing. When they were released, all four officers immediately straightened out their bodies to go as fast as possible. It seemed like they were falling forever. Lara could hear her breathing, it was calm, and so was Jim's. Sulu's breaths sounded strained and Olsen just sounded anxious.

"Sheppard to Enterprise," Lara spoke calmly, despite the strain it took to speak, "Entering the Vulcan atmosphere in five, four, three, two…one." She said as they all heard the boom when they passed the thick layer of ozone.

Lara could feel her heart rate increasing as they fell toward the surface. She heard Jim's voice after what seemed like ages, "Kirk to Enterprise, distance to target, five-thousand meters."

"Forty-five hundred meters to target," came Sulu's voice. Lara started to breathe deeply and slowly to keep herself calm and prepare for the next step, landing.

"Four thousand meters," Kirk reported. Almost there, she thought.

"Three thousand meters!" Olsen said enthusiastically from ahead of the others.

"Three thousand meters," Kirk said.

"Pulling chute!" Lara heard Sulu say, he released his chute.

"Now Jim!" Lara nearly shouted at him. They each pulled their chutes at the same time. Olsen however had yet to pull his.

"Two thousand meters," he shouted from below them.

"Come on, pull your chute Olsen!" Jim yelled down at the engineer.

"Olsen do it now!" Lara nearly screamed. If he didn't pull it now…she didn't want to think about what might happen.

"No not yet! Woo-hoo!" Olsen was officially an idiot, "One thousand meters!" But Lara knew it was already too late. He pulled his chute, that part was successful. But what Olsen didn't take into account was the fact that traveling at that speed and trying to land on something from one thousand meters that fast, it was impossible. He was now a dead idiot.

"Olsen!" Sulu exclaimed.

"No! Damn it!" Lara cursed. Jim was simply speechless.

But they couldn't worry about Olsen now. At the moment they had to focus on landing on the drill safely. Lara came first, she expertly lowered herself to just above the platform than closed up her chute. She landed on the balls of her feet and pulled off her helmet, but lost it over the edge due to the strong winds that were hitting the drill.

She looked up to see Jim come in for his not so smooth landing. His feet did touch the drill's surface but he slipped and fell on his back. He tried to roll over and stand but the winds where far too strong. They were pulling him over the edge due to his open chute! "Jim!" Lara yelled running over to him. She grabbed his hand but was pulled down with him. She reached out with her other hand to grab something, anything. Her hand found purchase on some grating on the drill's surface. Lara held on for her life and for Jim's. "Close your chute! I can't hold on forever!" she shouted at him.

Jim raised himself to his knees and with great effort closed his parachute. He fell down on top of Lara breathing heavily from the exertion. He pulled off his helmet and held her face in his hands, "Are you alright?" he practically had to shout over the noise.

"Yeah!" then she heard shafts moving up into the open. Lara looked back and saw two Romulans step onto the platform. Jim ran head first toward the biggest Romulan and started beating on him with his helmet. Lara on the other hand stood and walked toward her opponent slowly. She balanced on the balls of her feet and raised her fists. Then she realized something, her opponent was as big if not bigger than Jim's opponent. "Bring it on baldy!" she yelled at the imposing figure standing in front of her. And he did.

Baldy came at her and threw a heavy right hook at her. But Lara was faster. She ducked underneath his arm, jabbed him several times in the stomach with her fists and went to his back. Baldy doubled over from the loss of air. Lara then kicked out his knees and the Romulan fell on all fours. She was about to finish him off when she heard a loud thud. Sulu had landed, good.

Lara turned back to the fallen Romulan but he was up and very angry. He grabbed her by the neck and raised her feet off the surface of the drill. She nearly lost consciousness from his strong grip but luckily her legs were long. Lara swung her right leg around and kicked the Romulan in the neck. She heard a tell tale crack when her foot made contact. Lara flew out of the alien's grip, spun her body around mid air and landed on her feet with one hand on the drill's surface to brace herself and the other outstretched to keep her balanced.

She stood and checked her surroundings. Sulu had just killed one of the Romulans using the drill itself. Lara turned to look for Jim and saw his gloved, blue fingers hanging onto the side of the drill. A Romulan was trying to stomp his fingers and made contact with Jim's hand! "Sulu!" Lara shouted at the pilot. When he looked up at her she pointed to the alien. Sulu nodded and walked over to the Romulan and shoved his sword through the alien.

He gurgled in pain and when Sulu pulled out his sword, the alien fell over the side. Lara and Sulu helped pull Jim up, all three were breathing heavily from their fights. "Olsen had the charges!" Sulu shouted.

"I know!" Jim and Lara said together.

"What do we do?" the pilot asked.

Jim turned and picked up a fallen Romulan weapon, "This!" He aimed the rifle at the center of the drill; Sulu and Lara followed his lead and started spraying the drill with phaser bullets. They heard the laser from the drill sputter out and die. Lara threw down her weapon and so did Jim and Sulu.

"Remind me to never do something like this again," she said moving some hair out of her face. The two men laughed with her but stopped when they heard a loud boom. They looked up to see some sort of missile drop down into the hole that the drill had just made.

Jim raised his arm to his mouth, "Kirk to Enterprise, they just launched something at the planet into the hole they just drilled," there was no answer, "Do you copy Enterprise?"

Still no answer, Lara was getting anxious. She turned on her communicator and like Jim contacted the crew, "Sheppard to Enterprise, now would be a good time to get us out of here. And when I say now, I mean now!"

"Kirk to Enterprise, beam us out of here!" Jim said after her.

They heard a woman's voice come over the comm. channel, "Stand by locking on your signal."

"Jim, I don't think you should be so close to the e-ah!" she exclaimed catching herself from falling face first onto the drill. Jim had caught himself as well but not Sulu, he was standing too close to the edge and had fallen over the side.

"Sulu!" Jim shouted after him as he jumped over the side.

"James no!" Lara screamed but it was too late. She could already see the white lights of the transporter dancing in front of her eyes. Before she knew it she was inside the transporter room of the Enterprise.

"Hold on! Hold on! I can't get a lock on your signal!" she heard the same voice from early say.

"Clear the platform!" someone shouted at her, when she looked up she saw Chekov. He was working frantically at the transporter station.

"_Beam us up!"_ she heard Jim's voice over the comm. channel.

"Hold on! Hold on! Hold on!" Chekov said frantically working at the controls.

"_Now Enterprise do it now!"_

"Chekov he said now!" Lara said looking over his shoulder biting her nails.

"_Now, now, now, now, now, now!"_

"If you get him killed Chekov…" she said starting to pace.

"Compensating gravitational pull and…gotcha!" Chekov shouted looking at the platform. Kirk and Sulu landed very hard on the pads, shattering one to pieces. The Russian whiz-kid cheered in his own language.

"Oh thank you God," Lara said running over to the platform to help Jim and Sulu stand.

Sulu was panting, "Thanks," he said to Jim.

"No problem," Jim said back to him, breathing heavily as well. He looked up at Lara and gave her a tired smile, than saw Spock walk into the room.

"Clear the pad," he said stepping onto it and strapping a phaser to his hip, "I am being beamed to the surface."

"The surface of what?" Jim asked as Spock kneeled, "What are you going down there are you nuts?"

"Spock you can't do that!" Lara shouted at the crazy Vulcan.

"Energize." He commanded.

"Spock!" Jim yelled, but to no avail. He was already gone.

Several minutes passed but it seemed to Lara like hours. She paced in front of Jim and Sulu biting her nails, "For a Vulcan he isn't acting very logical right now."

"He's trying to save as much of his culture as he can," Sulu said from behind her.

"You'd do the same if Earth was in Vulcan's place." Jim said placing a hand on her shoulder.

_Spock to Enterprise, get us out now!_

Lara looked up at Chekov as he replied to the Vulcan, "Locking on your signal, stay right where you are." Kirk's hand snaked into her own and Lara squeezed it gently. She may not like Spock very much but she did respect him greatly especially for being brave enough to save the Vulcan High Council.

Chekov's fingers flew over the transporter console as he locked onto his targets. "Transport in five…four, three, two…I'm losing her! I'm losing her! I'm losing her!" Chekov shouted as the console beeped rapidly than he sunk back into his seat, "I lost her."

Lost who? Lara wanted to ask but when she saw Spock and the rest of the High Council standing on the platform, she knew. Her hands covered her mouth to suppress a gasp that would surely make this whole situation worse than it already was. Spock's mother…was gone. His hand was stretched out to the empty space where she should have been.

Spock walked toward the empty space slowly, he looked so heartbroken. But he never shed one tear. _Vulcans_, Lara thought as she was led to the medical bay with Jim close behind her. Sulu quickly returned to his station as did Chekov.

* * *

><p>Bones worked on several patients at once, he was now the Chief Medical Officer. Jim had his hand wrapped in several layers of gauze while Lara had the bruises on her neck checked out. They were minor and had already begun to fade.<p>

The mood in the medical bay was somber, tense, and even a bit lonely. As the remaining members of the High Council were checked out by Bones and casualties were accounted for. Spock gave Lara leave to rest in her quarters until she was needed.

Lara entered her room and fell on the small bed in the corner. She felt groggy and decided a shower was needed. When she stepped out of the bathroom she opened up her closet. There was a uniform that was more to her taste. It consisted of tight black pants, knee high black boots and a fitted, red, long sleeve shirt with the Starfleet emblem on the left shoulder. Lara pulled on the uniform and fixed her smeared make up. She dried her hair and started to pull it over her right shoulder to put it in its usual fish tail braid.

She had just tied the end of the long braid when she heard her "doorbell" ring. Lara stood and pressed the button that would open her door and found Leo standing there. "May I come in?" he asked politely.

Lara nodded and he stepped inside, the door swishing shut behind him. She sat in her desk chair, "Shouldn't you be at your station, Chief Medical Officer?"

Leo sat on her bed, "Yeah but that's when assistants come in handy." They both snickered and sat in a tense silence. "So," he said trying to break the ice, "Is it too early to ask what happened with Olsen?"

"He wasn't thinking like a Starfleet officer, he was thinking like a regular adrenaline junkie," she replied rubbing her temples, "Damn it I said when to pull the chutes, and did he listen? No. Ugh this is why I wanted to go into SFSO."

"Why is that?" Leo asked hesitantly.

"Because most of the missions would have been solo, and I wouldn't have to worry about losing people. But what's done is done I guess," she looked up at him and gave him a half smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, "Sorry if I'm ranting."

Leo shook his head, "No…I mean you are, it's just…I'm sorry, here I am trying to cheer you up and we end up talking about death."

"It's fine Leo. I've dealt with death; I can handle a little bit more."

He looked up at her, "You mean your folks?"

She watched his boots intently, "Yeah…mom and dad…" she trailed off lost in memories.

"You never talk about them very much."

"Yeah I know. They died when I was eighteen, if you really want to know. It was a complete accident, a shuttle crash; computer failure that sort of thing, but sometimes I think the universe just feels like messing things up just for the hell of it."

"Hey…hey Lara are you alright?" he asked slowly making his way across the small room to her. She looked up at him, eyes brimming with tears and bottom lip quivering slightly. Leo didn't say anything as he pulled Lara out of her chair and into his arms.

"I miss them so much Leo." She sobbed into his shoulder, holding him even closer. They stayed in their embrace until Lara's sobbing turned into quiet whimpering. She slowly pulled away from him, "Thanks, I haven't talked about my parents in a long time."

Leo moved a stray piece of hair behind her ear, "I'm here for you."

Lara gave him a reassuring smile, "Thanks Leo."

"Anytime," he said kissing her forehead softly. When he pulled back and met her eyes, he felt the distance between them begin to shrink.

He got closer, so close, she could feel the heat radiating off his skin. Lara shut her eyes, waiting for what was to come next. Leo cupped her face with his hand and leaned forward slowly. He pressed his lips to hers softly.

Lara felt his arms wrap around her and she tried to feel what he obviously was but just couldn't. The one thing, the one person that kept running through her mind was Jim. _What would he say if he saw us? Would he still be friends with me? Would he still be friends with Leo? I bet Jim would laugh if he saw us…then cry._

"I…" she said pulling away from him, "I can't." Lara walked out of his arms and leaned against her tiny desk.

"What do you mean you can't?" Leo asked, shock evident in his face.

"I love him Leo. I-I always have."

"You mean Jim? You can't do this because of Jim? How do you even know that he feels the same way Lara? You know how he is with women, how he treats them, and how he acts. All he wants is to get in a girls pants and then he's done."

Lara shook her head, "He would never do that to me."

Leo crossed his arms, "Oh yeah, why not?"

"Because I know he loves me back. Look you haven't grown up with him like I have. I can read him like an open book Leo, I know how he feels about me." She said standing up from her desk.

"Then why hasn't he ever made a move like I just did," Leo pointed out crossing his arms.

"He's nervous Leo. He's afraid of what might happen if he screws up and hurts me because he knows how good of a friendship we have, he doesn't want to ruin what we have." They looked at each other for a while. Leo just couldn't believe what he was hearing, after all the flirting and all of the vibes he got…he couldn't believe that she would pick James T. Kirk, a known womanizer, over him.

"But…why him Lara? Why not me?" he took a step toward her but was stopped by her out stretched hand.

"Trust me Leo, if there was never a James T. Kirk in this world, it would be you. I love you Leo…but I love Jim more. And if I ever have to pick, I will always pick Jim, every time and every chance I get, it'll always be him…" she trailed off, feeling the tears behind her eyes.

"I…I have to go, organize the medical equipment or something. I'll see you on the bridge Sheppard." He said turning to leave her room.

Lara followed after him, "Leo I…I can't change how I feel. Please don't take this out on Jim, you're like a brother to him. If anything, just take it out on me, shun me, hell hit me if you really want to but please, leave him out of this."

Leo couldn't believe what he was hearing, she was begging him. But she was begging him for the sake of Jim. He turned to her, "I…I need to think about all of this. And don't worry about Jim. It won't be me who tells him everything, I'll leave that to you."

With that he turned and walked to the lift leaving Lara alone in her doorway. She closed the door and walked to her bed, sat down and held her head in her hands. She let the tears fall then. She knew that she had messed up this time. Leading Leo on and then just crushing him when his hopes were up like that? She really was a horrible person.

_Sheppard you're needed on the bridge,_ she heard Uhura's voice over the comm.

"Yeah," she said to the air, "I'll be right there." Lara stood and went to the bathroom. She looked in the mirror and fixed her smeared make up, then decided to splash cold water on her face to try and erase the evidence that she had been crying. Satisfied with her looks she left her room and made her way up to the bridge, preparing herself for whatever was to come.

* * *

><p><em>Review please! Thanks for reading!<em>


	7. Chapter 7

_So sorry it's taken me a few days to finally post this new chapter. I got pretty busy and my bestie was in town last night so we hung out :D anyways here is chapter 7! _

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek...I only own Lara Sheppard..._

* * *

><p>Lara stepped off the lift onto the bridge. She straightened her back and put on her officer face to hide any emotion that would let anybody know exactly how she was feeling at the moment. She made her way to her station slowly, making brief eye contact with Leo and receiving a small smile from Jim, who had taken the liberty of claiming the captain's chair as his seat for the meeting. She returned his smile with a slight one of hers and leaned on her station, tuning into her new captain.<p>

Spock was walking around the bridge and greeted Lara when he saw her, then began. "Have you confirmed that Nero is headed for Earth?" he asked Uhura.

She spun around in her chair, "They're trajectory suggests no other destination Captain."

Spock walked past her, "Thank you Lieutenant."

Jim spoke up from his seat, "Earth may be his next stop, but we have to assume that every federation planet is a target."

"Out of the chair." Spock said calmly walking past him. Jim rolled his eyes and moved to stand next to Lara.

"Well if the federation is the target," Chekov said, "Why didn't they destroy us?" he looked to Sulu.

"Why would they? Why waste the weapons when we obviously weren't a threat." The pilot said watching Spock as he paced to stand in front of the helm.

"That is not it," he put his hands behind his back, "He said he wanted me to see something; the destruction of my home planet."

"How the hell did they do that by the way?" Bones asked out loud, "I mean where did the Romulans get that kind of weaponry?" he turned to Lara, the weapons expert.

She shrugged, "I've never seen anything like it. And it wasn't a weapon…or it wasn't before the Romulans got a hold of it. They made it a weapon. But it's far too advanced for any species to create…"

Spock turned to her, "You are on the right path Sheppard. The engineering comprehension necessary to artificially create a black hole may suggest an answer," he faced Bones, "Such technology could theoretically be manipulated to create a tunnel through space time."

Lara's eyes widened as a slight pause fell across the bridge and its officers. Then she heard Bones' frustrated voice, "Damn it man I'm a doctor not a physicist! Are you actually suggesting that they're from the future?"

"If you eliminate the impossible whatever remains however improbable must be the truth."

Bones rolled his eyes, "How poetic."

Jim asked the next question, "Then what would an angry future Romulan want with Captain Pike?"

Spock made his way toward the chair, Sulu answered Jim's question, "As captain he does know details of Starfleets defenses."

Lara watched Jim walk toward the center of the bridge, "What we need to do is catch up to that ship, disable it, take it over and get Pike back."

"We are technologically out matched in every way," Spock said pacing back to stand in front of the helm to look out the windows at the empty void of space, "A rescue attempt would be illogical."

"Nero's ship would have to drop out of warp for us to overtake it," Chekov said, agreeing with Spock.

Jim held up a hand, "Then what about assigning an engineering crew to try and boost our warp drives?"

"We have two engineering crews already working to fix our radiation leaks on the lower decks…" Spock rambled on about the amount the engineering crew was doing.

Jim walked past Lara and over to Spock, "Okay, alright, alright! There's got to be some way!" he said over Spock's voice.

"We must gather with the rest of Starfleet, to balance the terms of the next engagement."

"There won't be a next engagement by the time we've gathered it'll be too late," that silenced the Vulcan so Jim continued, "Look, if you say he's from the future and knows what's going to happen then the logical thing is to be unpredictable."

Spock took a few steps towards him, "You are assuming that Nero knows how events predicted will unfold. The contrary Nero's very presence has altered the flow of history, beginning with the attack on the USS Kelvin, culminating the events of today thereby creating an entirely new chain of incidents that cannot be anticipated by either party."

_Holy shit, _Lara thought. "An alternate reality," Uhura said stepping from behind her.

"Precisely," Spock said moving to his chair, "Whatever our lives might have been if the time continuum was disrupted, our destinies have changed. Mr. Sulu plot a course for the Lorentian system warp vector 3."

Jim looked at Lara and walked up to Spock who had taken his seat in the chair, "Spock you can't do that. Running back to the rest of the fleet for a-a confab is a massive waste of time."

"We have an order that was issued by Captain Pike when he left the ship."

Lara couldn't stand aside while Jim was left alone to argue with Spock. She stepped up behind Jim and placed a hand on his shoulder, "That wasn't his only order Spock, you know that."

Jim raised his voice in frustration, "He also ordered us to go back and get him. Spock you are captain now you have to make…"

"I am aware of my responsibilities Mr. Kirk."

Jim was now yelling, "Every second we waste here Nero is getting closer to his next target."

"That is correct and why I am instructing you to accept the fact that I—

"I will not allow us to go backwards…"

Bones held out a hand, "Jim calm down!"

"…instead of hunting Nero down!" Jim said eyes locked with Spock's.

"Security, escort him out." The Vulcan said calmly. Two security personnel took both of Jim's arms. Lara was about to protest when Jim beat her to the punch, literally. He yanked his arms free, flipped one security officer over and knocked the other out. More officers came at him but Jim's fight was short lived due to Spock squeezing Jim in the neck, knocking him out cold. "Get him off this ship." Spock said venomously to the security personnel.

They started to drag Jim's limp body off the bridge. Lara fumed and turned to point a finger right in the Vulcan's face, "Are you serious? Did that last transport screw up that big, fat, Vulcan brain of yours or something?"

Spock tilted his head to the side and raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean Lieutenant?"

"If you think you can just shoot Jim off onto some random planet just because he put up a fight to try and defend his word…" her voice got higher and higher the longer she went. Lara took a deep, shaky breath and said in a low and threatening voice, "You had better send me with him, _Captain_. I don't think I will be able to control myself from doing anything…illogical."

Spock stared at her for a while; he looked almost intrigued by what she was telling him. "Lieutenant as noble as that sounds for you to stand by your fellow officer and friend I will have to decline your request to leave. Your skills are needed for this mission Sheppard. You are staying on this ship." With that, he took his seat and ended their conversation.

Lara felt like hitting something, and Spock's face looked like a pretty good target right about now. But she restrained herself at least for now. Lara slowly made her way to stand in front of her station and, tight mouthed, pulled up the security footage for the escape pods. She watched as the security staff threw Jim inside a pod along with a duffle and sent him away.

She was seeing red, literally seeing red. Not only did her new acting captain just maroon her best friend on a wasteland of a planet, but he just inadvertently denied her the chance to confess her true feelings to Jim.

Lara stood at her station for several minutes, trying to calm herself down. After a few moments she managed to not have the urge to snap Spock's neck and started to find something to keep her mind off of what just happened. _One of these days, _she thought looking up at her Vulcan captain,_ he will finally admit just how stupid he can be sometimes._

* * *

><p>Lara rubbed her tired eyes. She had been helping Sulu calibrate the weapons and that took them very long because the pilot couldn't quite understand her method of calibrations. "Are you sure you have it this time?" she asked him.<p>

Sulu looked up from his seat at her, "Yes I've got it this time. Thanks Sheppard."

"Yeah anytime." She said to him and walked back to her station, rubbing her aching neck. _God five hours of preparing for Spock's pointless war and all I've been doing is calibrating weapons,_ Lara thought to herself as she stood in front of her console. It was at this time that she heard the doors to the bridge swish open. She turned to see the Vulcan high council make their way onto the bridge, stoic and emotionless as ever. _Of course, even after they just lost everything, they still act as if nothing happened,_ Lara thought to herself logging into the computer.

As she waited for her log screen to come up she let her eyes dance around the bridge. She was watching all of the crew members scramble about trying to prepare for the upcoming battle with Nero and the rest of Starfleet. She was about to begin her own preparations when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see Leo standing there with his hands behind his back, "Can I speak to you for a moment?"

Lara simply nodded, afraid of what her voice might reveal. She followed him into the lift and watched him press the button that would take them to the medical floor. Half way through the ride, he stopped the elevator and turned to her. They stared at each other for a while, neither one knowing what the other might say. Leo was the one to break the silence, "I want you to know that I really do care about you Lara…"

"I do too Leo." She said feeling her eyes water.

"Hang on Lar, let me finish." When she closed her mouth and stayed silent for a moment he continued, "You are one of my best friends, the other is Jim. You were right, he is like a brother to me. I love that kid even though he irritates me almost every second of the day. And…I want you to be happy, the both of you. So, with that in mind and with our conversation earlier…I…want to apologize."

When she was sure he was finished Lara couldn't help but smile. "Leo, I…" she stopped herself and instead wrapped her arms around him tightly. He returned the hug after a moment. Eventually she pulled back and punched him in the arm, "You sure we can still be friends? I still need my late night romantic comedy buddy."

Leo rolled his eyes, "Only if you make the popcorn."

She smiled and hugged him again, "Extra butter with a pinch of salt."

"But Lara?" he asked looking at her, "If he ever breaks your heart, I will break his legs…and then his arms." Lara laughed and hugged him again. She couldn't be more happy. She had her best friend back and now he just said he was alright with the idea of her and Jim together.

"There's just one problem, I might not ever see him again thanks to Spock."

"Oh I'm sure Jim will find some way back to us, he always does." Leo said laughing at the memories.

"Hey, you're keeping me from my duties." Lara said pressing the button to take them back to the bridge. Leo smiled at her and was still smiling when they walked onto the bridge. He followed her to her station.

Lara pulled up her log and started checking systems throughout the ship. She and Leo soon fell into comfortable conversation about her work duties and what they entailed. "I have to memorize all these different commands and…hang on." She said when her station started beeping rapidly, "Something's accessed the water turbines."

"What do you mean?" Leo asked looking over her shoulder.

"Well it's unauthorized…might be a malfunction. Here let's take a look," she said pulling up the video feed from the engineering deck. What she saw made her gasp and then she felt her knees go weak.

"Oh my god…Is that?" Leo asked looking closer at her screen.

"Captain you need to see this. There's been unauthorized access to the water turbine controls." Lara said out of pure instinct.

"Bring up the video," Spock said stepping away from his conversation with his father. As she pulled up the video, Spock walked up to Chekov's station. Keeping his eyes on the video he pressed a button and said, "Security seal the engineering deck, we have intruders in section turbine 3. Set phasers to stun."

"Oh shit…" Lara said wringing her fingers together, "This is not good Leo. This really is not good."

"You don't know for sure if it's him." Leo said trying to calm her down.

"Are you kidding me? I've known him my entire life…I know I saw him." Lara exclaimed, her fingers flying over her console.

"What are you doing now?" Leo asked watching her work.

"I need to watch them. I do technically have authority over the security team," she mumbled as she pulled up the video on the engineering deck. The two intruders avoided security pretty well but were eventually cut off on the catwalks. Security didn't fire, thankfully, and instead took the intruders into their own custody. "Security bring them up to the bridge," Lara said over the comm. channel. One of the officers nodded toward the camera and they left the engineering deck.

"Now Lara, I want you to just let things play out this time alright?" Leo said to her quietly.

She took a few shaky breaths and nodded, "Alright, fine I'll just watch this time."

A few seconds later and the intruders were dragged onto the bridge. One was Jim and the other was dripping wet. Spock walked up to them and addressed the dripping wet intruder, "Who are you?"

"I'm with him."

"He's with me." Jim said never taking his eyes off of Spock.

"We are traveling at warp speed," Spock said looking at Jim, "How did you manage to beam aboard this ship?"

"Well you're the genius you figure it out." Jim said indifferently.

"As acting captain of this vessel I order you to answer the question." Spock sounded like he might be getting a little angry, if he could get angry.

There was a small pause, then Jim answered, "Well I'm not telling, _acting_ captain." _What are you planning Jim?_ Lara thought as she slowly stepped forward. Jim's eyes flickered over to her and back to Spock but it only took that one look for her to know that he was relieved to see her. Spock simply stared at Jim, "What? No now that doesn't frustrate you does it? My lack of cooperation?"

Spock turned his piercing stare toward Jim's companion, "Are you a member of Starfleet?"

He looked flustered for a moment, open mouthed and wide eyed. "Wh-I um…yes-can I get a towel?"

"Under penalty of court marshal I order you to explain to me how you were able to beam aboard this ship while moving at warp."

He began to explain but Jim stopped him by saying, "Don't answer him."

"You will answer me." Spock said, his voice sounding venomous.

Jim's companion shifted his weight from one foot to the other and looked like he was thinking of his answer, "I'd rather not take sides," he said smiling politely, but was ignored by Jim and Spock who were staring daggers at each other.

Jim stepped forward and got in Spock's face, "What is it with you Spock? Your planet was just destroyed, your mother murdered and you're not even upset."

"If you are presuming that these experiences in any way impede my ability to command this ship you are mistaken."

"And yet you were the one who said fear was necessary for command. I mean…did you see his ship? Did you see what he did?"

"Yes of course I did." Spock said, his voice wavering slightly.

"So are you afraid or aren't you?"

"I will not allow you to lecture me about the merits of emotion."

"Then why don't you stop me?"

"Step away from me Mr. Kirk," Spock said his voice sounding dangerously close to anger.

But Jim would not back down, "What is it like to feel anger, or heart break, or the need to stop at nothing to avenge the murder of the woman who gave birth to you?"

"Back away from me."

"You feel nothing!" Jim shouted, "It must not even compute for you. You never loved her!" With that Spock snapped. He went at Jim, shouting and letting out all of his pent up emotions. He landed a solid punch to his face, making Jim fall back onto a security officer. Then Spock grabbed Jim by the collar of his shirt and threw him around. Jim turned and tried to block the oncoming hits but he couldn't block them all. Spock hit him in the stomach causing Jim to double over. Spock hit Jim in the throat pushing him to the pilot's console.

Jim fell on top of the console, holding his throat and trying to defend himself. But Spock was faster and got a hold on his throat. Breathing heavily, Spock began to practically crush Jim's throat. Lara wanted to scream, she wanted to throw Spock off and across the bridge. But she just couldn't bring herself to do it. She did feel a tear begin to run down her cheek as she watched in horror, hoping that somebody would do something.

After what seemed like ages someone finally spoke up, "Spock!" his father said from behind. It took a moment but Spock eventually let Jim go, realizing he had just lost control. Jim coughed several times and tried to catch his breath. Spock slowly turned toward his father, an unreadable look on his face.

Lara couldn't hold back anymore, she made her way to Jim quickly, and helped him sit up. She wiped some of the sweat off his forehead and looked in his eyes. _You're an idiot_, the look said to him. He nodded at her and let her wrap an arm around his waist.

Spock walked toward Leo, his eyes cast down and said, "Doctor I am no longer, fit for duty. I hereby relinquish my command based on the fact that I have been emotionally compromised. Please note the time and date in the ships log." He walked off toward the lift. When he entered Uhura followed after him, giving him a longing look. She did not follow him however, only stood still and silent. Lara watched Spock's father go after his son quietly.

A tense and awkward silence came after they left. Only Jim's heavy breathing and beeps from the consoles were the only sounds echoing throughout the bridge.

But it was broken by a thick Scottish accent coming over the silence, "I like this ship," Jim's companion said his hands still in the air, "It's exciting."

If the situation wasn't so serious or tense Lara would have laughed at him. "Well congratulations Jim," Leo said, "We've got no captain and no god damned first officer to replace him."

"Yeah we do," Jim said standing up and taking his seat at the captains chair. Lara stood as well and went to her station.

"What?" Leo asked watching Jim.

"Pike made him first officer," Sulu said to the doctor.

Leo looked shocked, "You gotta be kidding me."

"Thanks for the support," Jim said nodding in his direction.

Uhura stopped next to Jim and said, "I sure hope you know what you're doing, _captain_."

"So do I." he took a moment to catch his breath then opened up a ship wide comm. channel from his chair, "Attention crew of the Enterprise this is James Kirk. Mr. Spock has resigned commission and advanced me to acting captain. I know you were all expecting to regroup with the fleet, but I'm ordering a pursuit course of the enemy ship to Earth, I want all stations ready in ten minutes. Either we're going down or they are. Kirk out."

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><p><em>I will try and have the next chapter up by tomorrow. Thanks for reading!<em>


	8. Chapter 8

_So this chapter is a bit short. Next chapter will be nice and long I promise! Btw since this fic is almost over :( I have some ideas for my next fic...I will give out hints in the beginning of each new chapter starting now...here is your first hint: Jeff Bridges... :O_

_Enough talk! On with the story!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek...I only own Lara Sheppard_

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><p>Moments after Kirk's announcement, the bridge had returned to its chaotically organized fashion. Jim was dealing with introducing his companion, Scotty, to everyone and sending him down to engineering while Lara stood at her station and tapped her fingers on her console impatiently. She shook her leg and bit her lip, waiting for her chance to get Jim's attention.<p>

Finally after what seemed like hours of waiting he turned and started to make his way to the lift. Lara followed after him and waited for the doors to close. When they did Lara waited for a few seconds then mashed the stop button. It was at this time that she realized she hadn't come up with anything to say. So ignoring Jim's questioning stare she threw her arms around his neck and started blabbering about everything she was feeling.

"I'm so happy to see you. You're and idiot do you know that? Don't ever do something like that to me again. I was so worried, and I had to deal with Spock and then there was Leo and calibrating weapons for five hours with Sulu and then you showed up and had to be all in Spock's face and he almost killed you again! James Kirk, do you know how hard it is to be in love with a guy like you? I mean…I…uh…"

Lara trailed off after she realized what she had just said. _Well at least I said it, that counts right?_ She thought to herself as she watched Jim's face for a reaction. But his eyes wouldn't show her anything. Jim just stared at her. Beginning to get nervous Lara started to pull her arms from his neck but was stopped when his strong hands gently held her where she was. Jim still wouldn't say anything.

"Jim," Lara said quietly trying to retract what she just said, "I…"

"Lara?" he almost whispered her name.

"Yeah?"

"Stop talking." He said then crushed his lips to hers. Jim wrapped his arms around her small waist and held her close, as if he was afraid she might disappear. Lara had her fingers in his hair and kissed him deeply and passionately.

They parted, gasping for air, and stood there resting on each other's forehead. "So…" Lara said after a moment, "I'm guessing this means you feel the same way?"

Jim smiled and looked into her eyes, "What do you think?"

"I don't know for sure though," Lara said playfully.

"I love you Lara," Jim said to her and kissed her again, "I always have and I always will."

She smiled up at him and kissed him again, then pulled back and said, "We should get back up to the bridge."

"Sure," he said activating the lift, "So this won't change things will it?"

"Well it does change one thing," she said moving to stand at his side.

"What's that?"

"However you're planning to save Pike, I want in and that means that I am going with you."

"Lara, I don't think that's…" he was stopped by a finger on his lips.

"Jim, technically I have to be with you on any ground mission, and I want to go with you, whatever your crazy plan is I want to be there at your side to the very end."

"To the very end of the mission? Or to the very end of everything?"

She smiled and took his hand in hers, "It doesn't matter, either way we'll be with each other."

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><p>They stepped onto the bridge and Jim immediately got to work on his plan. He and Lara gathered around a screen with the other officers and of course, they started arguing each other's points.<p>

"Whatever the case we need to get aboard Nero's ship undetected," Jim said with his arms crossed.

"We can't just go in there guns blazing Jim," Leo said standing next to him.

"He's right Jim," Lara pointed at the screen, "His ship is huge, it's almost impossible to get aboard without being noticed by somebody."

"Captain Kirk! Captain Kirk!" she turned to see a very excited Chekov tapping on Jim's shoulder.

"Yes, Chekov what is it?" Jim asked him.

"Based on Nurata's course from Vulcan, I have projected that Nero will travel past Saturn," he said excitedly. Jim looked over at Lara as the young ensign continued, "Like you said we need to stay invisible to Nero or he'll destroy us. If Mr. Scott can get us to warp vector four and if we drop out of warp behind one of Saturn's moons say…Titan, the magnetic distortion from the planet's rings will make us invisible to Nero's sensors. From there as long as the drill is not activated we can beam aboard the enemy ship."

"Aye that might work," Scotty said from behind Jim with a towel in his ear and a thoughtful look on his face.

Jim, with his hands on his hips turned to look at Lara who was chewing her lip but liked the ensigns plan. "Wait a minute kid how old are you?" Leo asked Chekov.

"Seventeen sir," he said proudly.

"Oh…oh good he's seventeen." Leo said crossing his arms while looking at Jim.

"Doctor," they all heard a voice behind them. When they turned they saw Spock standing at the head of the steps leading down to where they were standing, "Mr. Chekov is correct, I can confirm his telemetry. If Mr. Sulu is able to maneuver us into position, I can beam aboard Nero's ship, steal the black hole device, and if possible bring back Captain Pike."

"I won't allow you to do that Mr. Spock." Jim said shaking his head slightly.

Spock looked like he was grinning, "Romulans and Vulcans share a common ancestry our cultural similarities will make it easier for me to access the ships computer to locate the device. Also my mother was human which makes earth the only home I have left."

There was a pause as Jim considered what Spock had just told him. Then he slowly stepped up to Spock, "Then I'm coming with you," he said.

"And…I am too. You're gonna need somebody to watch your backs while you explore the dark corners of that ship," Lara said stepping up next to Jim and placing a hand on both men's shoulders.

Jim nodded at her with a slight smile. Then she heard Spock say, "I would cite regulation but I know you will both simply ignore it."

Jim grinned, "See we are getting to know each other," he said slapping Spock's arm and making his way to his chair.

Lara smiled up at Spock, "This is gonna be fun."

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><p><em>Read and Review!<em>


	9. Chapter 9

_Yay new chapter! Alright, last chapter I said I was going to start giving out hints about my new fic. Here is hint number 2(and this one is kinda a give away):light cycles...O:_

_Enough talk! On with the story!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek...I only own Lara Sheppard_

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><p>"All stop. In three…two…one." The Enterprise came out of warp into the foggy gasses of Titan. "Give me one-quarter impulse bursts for five seconds, I'll do the rest with thrusters on my mark." Sulu said calmly.<p>

"Aye," Chekov said his hands hovering over his console.

"Fire." Sulu said and Chekov followed his order. The young ensign gave impulse bursts for exactly five seconds and Sulu expertly raised The Enterprise out of Titan's gasses. The ship was hovering safely behind the planet Saturn, waiting for action.

_Transporter room, we are in position above Titan. _Sulu's voice said to Scotty who was sitting at the transporter console.

"Really?" Scotty said cheerfully, "Fine job Mr. Sulu well done."

The doors to the transporter room swished open and four of the Enterprise's officers walked in. "How are we Scotty?" Jim asked the engineer.

"Unbelievable sir, the ship is in position." Scotty answered. Jim stopped at the engineers console and opened up a comm. link with the bridge. Lara stood next to him as he sent his message to the pilots,

"Whatever happens Mr. Sulu, if you think you have the tactical advantage you fire upon that ship even if we're still aboard. That's an order."

_Yes sir, _came Sulu's reply.

"Otherwise we'll contact when we're ready to be beamed back."

_Good luck._

Lara and Jim turned to step onto the pad. Lara quickly adjusted her holster and then checked Jim's, when she was satisfied she went to stand on her platform behind Jim. They both stood there waiting for Spock's go ahead. That's when Lara thought she saw something out of the corner of her eye. She turned and raised an eyebrow when she saw Uhura and Spock…kissing? She and Jim both looked away, trying to give the two as much privacy as possible.

"I will be back." Spock said to her as they rested on each other's forehead.

"You better be," she said to him, "I'll be monitoring your frequency."

"Thank you Neyota." _Neyota?_ Lara thought to herself. _We've been friends for three years and she's never told me her first name…_

Uhura kissed the Vulcan one last time before stepping off the platform. A slightly awkward pause followed then Jim turned to Spock, "So her first name's Neyota?"

"I have no comment on the matter." Spock said calmly. Lara couldn't help but laugh at their interaction.

"Okey Dokey then," Scotty said from his chair, "If there's any common sense in the design of the enemy ship I should be putting you somewhere in the cargo bay, shouldn't be a soul in sight."

"Energize." Jim said from his spot. Lara watched the white lights dance in front of her eyes. _Good, we can sneak our way up and find our way to Pike. Standard stealth op…hopefully without being dete—_

Lara stopped her inner train of thought as they came onto the Romulan ship and she heard a lot of yelling. _This is really busy for a cargo area…wait, this is…oh great._ She thought as her Jim and Spock all realized Scotty had accidently transported them to…the bridge.

"Move move!" Lara shouted as she pulled out her phaser and began firing. Spock and Jim did the same as her and all three began to run across the bridge, avoiding fire and taking out as many Romulans as possible. "This…was supposed to be…a stealth op!" Lara shouted between shots as she led Jim and Spock to a place for cover.

All three took cover and began taking out the rest of the Romulans. "Jim we need to stun one of them!" Lara shouted over the fire.

He nodded and moved forward slowly, searching for his target. When he spotted his target, Jim set his phaser to stun and fired. Lara and Spock moved up behind him. "I'll cover you," Jim said to the Vulcan.

"Are you certain?" Spock asked him.

"Yeah we've got you." Jim said to him. Spock went toward the knocked out Romulan while Jim turned his phaser back to kill. Lara watched Spock kneel down and make a link with the fallen Romulan. She started to make her way toward him with Jim watching her back. When she got closer to Spock she saw a lone Romulan start to aim his weapon at the Vulcan.

Lara quickly ran up to the Romulan, stomped on his toes, and then punched him in the throat. The Romulan reeled back, shaken and out of breath. Lara took her chance and sent a solid elbow to the side of his face knocking him down. She was about to turn away when she heard a phaser shot. She flinched, expecting the worst but when she looked down she saw that the Romulan had been shot.

"Jim." She said turning to look at him.

"Hey, I just saved your life," he said kissing her quickly then walking up to Spock, "Do you know where it is? The black hole device?"

"And Captain Pike." Spock said standing up. Lara and Jim followed after him.  
>"It's this way," the Vulcan said starting to jog toward his destination. His companions followed and they eventually came to what didn't look to Lara like a device, it looked like a small ship.<p>

All three entered the ship, "I foresee a complication," Spock said looking over the layout of the ship, "The design of this ship is far more advanced then I have anticipated."

Lara urgently looked around the ship noting that yes, it was very advanced. In the middle of the entire ship was a giant red sphere. _Voice print and face recognition analysis enabled. Welcome back ambassador Spock._ They all heard a computerized female voice over the ships comm.

"Wow that's weird," Jim said walking off toward the helm of the ship. Lara raised an eyebrow and slowly walked up to Spock who had a questioning look on his face as well.

"Computer, what is your manufacturing origin?"

_Stardate 2387. Commissioned by the Vulcan Science Academy._ "Whoah…" Lara said when she heard the date.

Spock made his way to the helm, followed closely by Lara, "It appears you have been keeping information from us."

"You'll be able to fly this thing right?" Jim asked changing the subject.

"Something tells me I already have."

"Good luck," Jim said turning to leave. He walked up to Lara and placed a hand on the small of her back.

"Jim," they heard Spock from behind, they both turned to face the Vulcan, "The statistical likely hood that our plan will succeed is 4.3 percent."

"It'll work." Jim said triyng to reassure him.

"In the event that I do not return please tell Lieutenant Uhura…"

"Spock," Jim said urgently, "It'll work." He and Lara both turned to leave and quickly made their way out of the ship.

Spock sat down in the helm's chair which automatically turned forward for him, "Fascinating."

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><p>Jim and Lara were quietly making their way toward where Spock had said Captain Pike was being held. They each had their weapons out and were moving through a dark tunnel. They exited the tunnel and came into what looked like a command room.<p>

Both officers looked around and spotted Nero standing on one of the top platforms in the room. They each pointed their weapons at the Romulan captain and Jim said to him, "Nero order your men to disable the drill or I will—ah!" he was interrupted by one of Nero's officers hitting him in the head with the butt of their weapon.

Jim fell over and dropped his phaser over the side of the platform. "No!" Lara shouted as she turned to engage the Romulan, but he was too fast. He dodged her fists and hit her upside the head, causing her to fall down as well. Groaning, she was about to get up when she felt a strong pair of hands grab her arms and pull her up. Nero's officer held her hands behind her back tightly while Nero ran down from his platform to stand above Jim.

"I know your face," he said when he reached his target, "From Earth's history," he bent down and lifted Jim up only to throw him back down again.

Lara watched in horror as Nero proceeded thoroughly kick Jim's ass. She began to struggle against her captors hold but was stopped when she felt a hand on her throat.

"Lara Sheppard...the beautiful left hand of the great Starfleet captain," he tightened his grip on her, "Why you decided to live in his shadow has always intrigued me…can you tell me why?"

"Because I love him…you bastard" she coughed out. Nero looked almost surprised when she said that.

"You keep your hands off of her you son of a bitch," Jim said panting and trying to stand up.

Nero, with a snarl, went after Jim again. He knocked him down and grabbed his throat, choking him to death. "James T. Kirk was considered to be a great man, he went on to captain the USS Enterprise. But that was another life, a life I will deprive you of just like I did your father."

"No! Stop! No James!" Lara screamed at the top of her lungs as tears began to fall down her cheeks. She tried to break free of her captors hold but he was too strong, and she couldn't get away. She watched Jim kick his feet and try to get out of Nero's hold but he just wasn't strong enough. Lara was now reduced to just screaming and crying; she was so terrified she could hardly think straight.

And just like that a miracle happened, _Captain Nero! The Vulcan ship has been taken, the drill has been destroyed._

Nero released his grasp on Jim and started shouting to the air, "Spock! Spock!" then jumped down to a platform that was at least ten stories down and ran off quickly. Lara took this moment of distraction to break free of her captors hold. She elbowed him in the stomach as hard as she could then ran over to help Jim stand up. They both looked back and saw that Nero's officer was mostly unaffected by her attack.

Reading each other's minds, they both turned and did exactly as Nero did earlier. Lara hit the platform and did a tuck and roll. All though no bones were broken, she could definitely tell that she would be covered in some very serious bruises. She lay on the ground, writhing in pain and didn't notice Jim struggling on the edge of the platform until it was too late. Nero's officer was already there.

He lifted Jim up by the throat with ease and said, "Your species is even weaker than I expected." Jim tried to speak but couldn't. The Romulan grinned evily, "You can't even speak."

Jim tried again but still couldn't make a sound, the Romulan pulled him closer, "What?"

"I got your gun." Jim said pulling out the alien's gun and shooting him in the stomach. Jim was immediately released from his hold and fell on the edge of the platform again. Lara got up and helped pull Jim up. They both caught their breath for a moment. Then Lara crushed her lips to his.

When she released him she said, "What did I tell you about never scaring me like that again?"

"Yeah but…I always get a good reaction out of you," they both smiled at each other, "Come on, we need to save Pike."

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><p>They ran the whole way there, Jim with a Romulan phaser and Lara with her standard issue silver phaser. Entering the room they saw Pike strapped to a table that was surrounded by various machines, Lara could only imagine what Nero had done to him. Jim and Lara moved further into the room, back to back making sure the area was clear.<p>

Jim saw a Romulan guard and shot him, "I think we're clear," he said to Lara. She nodded and turned, making her way to their captain quickly.

"What are you doin here?" Pike asked the two.

"Just following orders," Jim said beginning to release the straps that were holding down Pike. Lara worked on the straps by his feet while Jim worked on the straps around his torso. She was about to stand up when she heard two phaser shots fired. She turned to her right and saw two Romulans hit the floor. Lara looked up and saw Pike holding Jim's gun.

Lara grinned to herself, admiring her captain, then stood as she finished releasing all the straps on his legs. Jim quickly helped Pike stand, supporting his weight on one side while Lara moved around to support the other.

"Enterprise now!" Lara shouted into her communicator. She watched the lights dance in front of her eyes and closed them hoping for the best. When she opened them again she was standing in the transporter room of the Enterprise.

Jim breathed a sigh of relief and smiled when he looked over to see Spock standing next to him, "Nice timing Scotty." He and Lara stepped off the pad still supporting Pike's weight.

Scotty raised his hands in triumph, "I've never beamed four people from two targets onto one pad before!"

Bones ran into the transporter room followed by several members of his staff and relieved the two of Pike. Uhura came in as well, quickly greeting Spock when she saw him, a look of relief on her face. She led Spock, Jim, and Lara out of the transporter room and toward the lift.

"That was pretty good!" Scotty said after them, still excited over his amazing transporting abilities.

Jim, Lara Spock and Uhura walked onto the bridge quickly. Uhura returned to her seat and Lara went to stand at her console. "Captain! The enemy ship is losing power, their shields are down sir." Chekov reported excitedly.

"Hail them now," Jim said moving to stand in front of the view screen with Spock at his side. Nero's distorted face came up on the view screen and he didn't look happy. "This is Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise. Your ship is compromised; your ship is too close to the singularity and needs assistance which we are willing to provide."

There was a small pause then Spock turned away from the view screen and spoke to Jim quietly, "Captain what are you doing?"

Jim turned and spoke quietly as well, "You show them compassion then maybe we can earn peace with Romulus. It's logic Spock, I'd thought you'd like that."

"No not really," Spock said thoughtfully, "Not this time."

_I would rather suffer the end of Romulus a thousand times. I would rather die in agony them accept assistance from you._ Nero spoke to the two, his words burning with hate.

"You've got it," Jim and Spock turned away from the screen and went to their chairs, "Arm phasers, firing everything we've got." He said as he took his seat.

"Yes sir." Sulu said and began firing. Lara brought out the larger phaser cannons and Sulu used them without question. Nero's ship was soon turning into complete rubble now that his shields were down and that he was being sucked into a giant black hole.

Lara felt a sense of relief lift off her shoulders only to be replaced with a sense of dread as she read the incoming reports on her screen. Then the view screen showed a warning sign, they were too close to the black hole. "Sulu let's go home." Jim said to the pilot.

"Yes sir!" he said as he and his Russian co-pilot began turning the ship around. "Why aren't we at warp?" Jim asked Lara.

"We are sir." Lara said as her eyes quickly read over the codes on her screen.

"Kirk to engineering, get us out of here Scotty." Jim said staying calm despite his racing heart.

_You bet your ass Captain!_ Came Scotty's voice over the comm. _Captain we're caught in the gravity pull, it's got us!_

"Go to maximum warp, push it!" Jim ordered.

_I'm givin her all she's got Captain!_ Lara felt her hands begin to shake. Her computer was reporting that they were at maximum warp, full power and still nothing. She flinched when she heard a loud crashing sound. Lara looked up to see the ceiling of the bridge begin to crack under the immense pressure.

"All she's got isn't good enough what else you got?" Jim said, still calm and not showing how scared he was at the moment.

_If we eject the core and detonate the blast could be enough to push us away, I can't promise anything though!_

The glass of the view screen began to crack in several places, "Do it! Do it! Do it!" Jim shouted as he felt his hands begin to sweat. Lara watched, heart racing, as her computer reported each ejection of the core. She looked up at the view screen and watched each core fall into the black hole. There was a pause then bright white light as each core exploded and was amplified by the black holes massive power.

Sulu used the explosion and began to move The Enterprise away from the black hole as best as he could. They couldn't see a thing for several seconds, only bright white light. Then in a flash, they were away and safe. Lara felt her knees go weak as she heaved a sigh of relief. They had just survived being crushed to death by a massive black hole.

All the officers looked around at each other, smiles and quiet laughter following. Jim locked eyes with Lara and smiled at her brightly. _I shouldn't do it, I shouldn't do it…oh screw it. _Lara went to Jim at his chair and fell onto him, holding him as best she could while he was still seated. She was smiling and felt tears of pure relief come to her eyes. Jim wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek gently, he felt a grin come to his face then. They were finally going home and they were finally going to be together.

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><p><em>Read and Review!<em>


	10. Chapter 10

**Uhmmmmm hi. I know it's been like forever and a day since I posted on this particular story but...life happened. School, work, boys, work, school, school and oh yeah more freaking school. And ADD is a meanie...I get distracted waaayyy too easily. Anywhos this is going to act as a transitional chapter into the next installment of the Adventures of Lara Sheppard (! :P) ya I know it's lame but hey go with it pwetty pwease...? So ya this is just a collection of one shots that I thought summed up what I wanted to have happened to Lara and the others and that leads into the next part (i.e. next movie).**

**BTW! Who else can barely contain their excitement for the next movie? I know I can't! Woo!**

**Ok enjoy have fun, love!**

**Disclaimer: i do not own star trek...I only own Lara.**

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><p>"This assembly calls Captain James Tiberius Kirk, your inspirational valor and supreme dedication to your comrades as in keeping with the highest traditions of service and reflect the utmost credit to yourself, your crew and the federation. It is my honor to award you with this accommodation. By Starfleet order 28455 you are hereby directed to report to Admiral Pike of the USS Enterprise to report for duty and his relief." Jim shook Admiral Barnett's hand and turned toward Pike who was in his clean Admiral's suit and sitting in a wheelchair.<p>

After a pause Jim spoke, "I relieve you sir."

"I am relieved," Pike said looking up at Jim with a bright smile on his face.

"Thank you sir," Jim said grinning.

"Congratulations Captain," Pike said then took his hand, "Your father would be proud."

Applause started to build and rise higher and higher. Jim turned to look at the crowd, still grinning. He met eyes with his crew and soon met eyes with Lara. She was smiling widely at him and felt tears threaten to run down her cheeks. His father would be very proud of Jim and she knew how much Jim had dreamed of this moment. Lara laughed quietly and put her hand over her heart, telling Jim in their own way that she loved him.

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><p>"So, we move out tomorrow?" Lara asked settling down at their table.<p>

"That is correct missy, I'm very excited," Scotty said across from her. Lara giggled at his thick Scottish accent. All of the Enterprises officers had decided to go out to celebrate their successful mission and Jim's new title.

"I just wish we could have gotten a few more days of shore leave," Uhura said looking over at Spock, who if Vulcans could blush would be a deep red color by now.

"Yeah just a few more days would have been perfect," Jim said slipping his hand into Lara's underneath the table. She smiled at him and thought back to their several days together. Granted most of those days were spent inside but they enjoyed themselves, one way or another.

As the officers chatted and shared stories and laughs Lara couldn't help but finally feel a sense of peace. She finally found a family again after being alone for so long. The death of her parents had been sudden and unforgiving. Her only support was Jim and his mother and although she would be eternally grateful for the help, the hole she felt in her heart couldn't ever be filled the right way again. But looking around now at her friends and colleagues she realized that although she may not have a mother or father, she had brothers and a dear sister and a love that she had been long waiting for.

Lara reached for her wine glass and raised it above the table, "To us, the friendships we are sure to build and the memories I can't wait to make with you all."

The others smiled and grinned while raising their various drinks as well. "To the Enterprise," Jim said and everyone echoed. They all drank and laughed afterward, not knowing the darkness that was ahead of them.

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><p>"God damnit Jim go!" Lara yelled at him over the various explosions and quakes.<p>

Jim held his ground, shoving his phaser back into its holster he grabbed her shoulders, "I'm the captain here and I say we are all leaving. This entire facility is coming down on top of us and I don't need you arguing with me."

Lara stared up into his eyes, so clear and full of hope. They had come to an underground and namely abandoned Starfleet facility to recover data that had been lost in what looked like a Klingon attack. But when they set down and the ground team-Lara, Jim, Spock and Bones-had landed they saw evidence of something entirely different. Since the facility was underground they had to access it through a tunnel, dropping down using grappling hooks attached to their belts. Once they reached the floor of the caves they saw that whatever had attacked this place had come from _inside_ the labs. Whatever Starfleet was working on here had attacked the scientists. And unfortunately, they found the attacker.

The thing couldn't even be called human anymore. Radiation and exposure to the many chemicals in the lab had morphed the failed project or…person into a pure horror. It was full of rage and running on instinct only wanting to kill and eat, and in this case it was the four Enterprise officers standing in its path. They had taken the thing out but Lara's quick planning of aiming a mining laser right at the mutation's chest caused the rest of the rubble and equipment to fail which then caused the facility to fall apart and collapse on itself.

Now they had finally made it up using the elevator but it wouldn't hold. Lara had her hand pressed firmly on the elevator's main console trying to keep it in place as Spock carried an injured and hobbling Bones out of the caves. Lara looked up at Jim and smiled at him, "You know if I release this, the elevator will collapse and send us both down. Enterprise cannot lose its captain."

"And the captain can't lose his girl," he said almost pleading, squeezing her shoulders.

Lara felt the tears burn and threaten to fall but she held them back, she didn't need to make this any harder than it had to be, "Alright, take my grapple and use it to hook up to the edge of the entrance. Once you've got it pull me with you."

Jim released the grapple from her hips and did as she said. Swinging and releasing the grapple when he heard the clink of the medal attaching to the rock. As he turned back he felt Lara wrap her arm around his neck and pull him in for a short, passionate kiss. "I love you." She said and then quickly kicked him hard in the stomach, releasing her hand from the button on the console.

It all happened in slow motion after that. Jim looked down at her and felt the scream rise out of his chest. Her hair had fallen out of its braid, fanning out around her as the lift fell down, screeching and sparks flying. He reached a hand out for her calling her name and shouting out his protests. Maybe if he shouted loud enough it would reverse time and he could be in her place and she could be on the ship, safe and alive.

Jim's grapple or rather Lara's grapple pulled him into the wall of the cave hard. He felt numb and his hands fumbled with the release as he tried to pull himself away from the wall so he could jump back down and get her. "Jim no!" Bones called for him, running at him on his bad leg and grabbing him around the waist.

"Get the hell off me! I can save her! She's still alive!" Jim shoved Bones off him ignoring the man's cry of pain and made to jump down the cave again. Just as he was leaning back for the leap over the edge the elevator hit the bottom of the cave system, causing the rest of the facility to quake violently. The walls of the cave began to fall and rubble hell all around him, kicking up smoke and ash.

"Captain we must vacate the area at once!" Spock's even stronger grip came around Jim's waist and pulled him off to a safe area where Bones was limping toward as well. Jim still fought and thrashed against the Vulcan's hold calling out for Lara and trying to pull rank against his officers.

Spock looked over at Bones, "Doctor if you would."

And before Jim could even begin to realize what they were doing, he felt a sharp pain in his neck and then the darkness too him over.

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><p>The funeral was long and depressing. Jim could hardly stand all the formalities he had to go through. All the cameras, all the music…Lara loved music. And the tears, so many tears. Even Pike shed a few. And because Lara had no immediate family, Pike was the one to receive the flag. He was the closest thing she had to a father. <em>Lara hated funerals too.<em>

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><p>Three months. Three months to the day that she had died. Jim sat in his quarters and sifted through old pictures of the two together. He came to the last picture they ever took together. It was on one of the days of their shore leave after the battle with Nero. They had taken a trip to a beach and spent all day in the sands and waters. He remembered that moment like it was yesterday.<p>

_Lara laughed and dug her toes deeper into the sands as she watched Jim try and fail for the third time to build a sand castle. "You are terrible at that."_

_He looked over at her, "Well you try it if you're so damned good." Lara laughed again, bronze skin glistening in the sun, contrasted wonderfully against her coral bikini. She sat up and moved next to him taking a large ball of sand into her hands and then paused,_

"_You remember that time we tried to bake a cake? But ended up getting in a cake batter fight?" Jim smiled at the memory and how good Lara looked splattered with yellow cake batter._

"_Well how could I…" he stopped when he felt the soft thump of wet sand on his chest. He heard Lara laugh and then squeal as he jumped on her, burying her in sand. They rolled around back and forth, throwing sand and taunts at each other. Finally when they were too tired they fell on their backs, panting and laughing._

_Jim looked over at her. She had sand in her hair, skin glowing and eyes bright from laughter. He realized then that he'd never love any woman as deeply as her ever again._ _Lara's laughs died down to small giggles. "Hey," she said reaching for her bag and pulling out a small silver camera, "Take our picture. Go on, please?" She pouted at his look and Jim gave in. He took the camera from her and pulled her head onto his shoulder and snapped the picture, forever capturing the moment he realized how madly in love he was with Lara Nicole Sheppard._

Jim smiled sadly at the picture. Lara's head was on his shoulder and she was smiling widely, laughing at her own expense. Jim had his head down in the picture, smiling down at his love. The sand was everywhere, in her hair, in his and all over their faces. They looked so happy in that captured moment, so at peace and so unafraid of what they might lose.

He ran a finger over the picture before shutting down the program, a lone tear falling down his cheek. Jim made to stand but stopped when his console beeped, telling him he had a message. It was a video file but the video was corrupted and the feed was terrible. Luckily there was a message attached to the video. He opened it and began to read.

_**Captain,**_

_**This may come to you at a difficult time but I've seen the feeds and know how the funeral went. It was incredibly depressing, how cliché. If I am correct it has been exactly three months since my death. Three months and now if you receive this message when I assume you will then it will be two hours and five minutes after the precise time that elevator fell down the shaft.**_

_**If you don't connect the dots by now then let me say it plainly. It is me, Lara talking to you via this message. But you should know something James. I am not the Lara you grew up with. I have transcended that person and am now better than I ever was. I no longer feel the need to serve Starfleet. Now that I know the truth of my parents' death and the truth of that laboratory we found I no longer wish to serve a group of people built on lies and deception. I have been shown the truth, and I have embraced it and grown stronger.**_

_**Do not search for me. The Lara Sheppard you knew is dead. She does not exist anymore. I have a new name now, and the one who found me and helped me see truth has enlightened me. He has brought me out of the ashes and into the light, I do not need Starfleet or anyone anymore…only him. Just him.**_

_**This message will be deleted as soon as you close it. Or it will delete itself after a time. I know you would try to keep this message open as long as possible. But it is not possible Captain. Lara Sheppard is dead, let her die and do not open old wounds. Do not tell anyone else of this…we will know if you have.**_

_**Goodbye Captain, until we meet again**_

_**Lara Harrison.**_

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><p><strong>Whaaaaaaaaaaaaa? :D Leave a reviewcomment/flame if you want. I mean don't be mean but be honest but not mean honest...constructive. Ok lots of love thanks for reading bye!**


	11. She Falls Into Darkness Preview

_Well hello there :) so I found this teeny tiny little clip of Benedict Cumberbatch (John Harrison) and Chris Pine (James Kirk) on the interwebs a few hours ago and it sparked this little scene in my head. Mind you I have not idea how the rest of the movie will play out or why John Harrison is doing what he is doing. I have a few guesses but nothing solid. So I've kept the chapter vague on that part but I did want to try out what I'm calling "fallen Lara". Now that she is following Harrison instead of Kirk I wanted to give the character a try at being well...bad lol but not bad bad...kind of like Loki from the first Thor movie. He's just misunderstood (and dead sexy) and wants his fathers love yada yada yada...you get my meaning right? _

_Well here's hoping you do haha. I'll shut up now, enjoy the preview!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I only own Lara._

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><p>Jim watched her behind the glass. She looked so different. She was thinner, making her natural curves even more accentuated than they used to be. Her skin was paler, making her dark eyes contrast against her now light, cream colored skin. Also her eyes were rimmed with dark, smoky make-up. No longer did she wear a simple line and pale shadows. Now she wore charcoal colors around her eyes with thick lines rimming them. Her pale lips were slightly chapped, finger nails manicured perfectly and covered with black polish. To be honest he was surprised she found the time for the nail care after all of the killing she and her…partner had been doing.<p>

Lara's outfit was a mirror image of Harrison's, the only difference being that her shirt was a stark white with a faded federation emblem on the shoulder. It looked like she had tried to scratch it off several times. Black tights, tall black leather boots that ended just above her knee and added about two inches to her natural height. She now stood with her eyes to Kirk's chin instead of his shoulder. Her hair was a neat mess. Pulled up into a high set pony tail, there were several pieces falling out along the sides of her face and in the back. Her dark eyes never left his as she stood there, proud of what she had done. Proud of the murders she had committed and proud of following that…thing.

"How could you?" he finally asked her, somehow keeping his voice steady even though his heart was racing. This was the first time he had seen her up close in months and she looked so different from the girl he had fallen in love with.

Lara raised a neatly plucked black eyebrow at him and almost smirked, "I'm just carrying out the wishes of myself and my companion Captain. We want justice."

"Justice? How can you call the murder of innocent people justice?" Kirk nearly shouted, gesturing to some place with his arm.

"I would not expect you to understand, at least not yet," she paused and looked past his shoulder across the room to John then back to Kirk, "He would like to speak with you Captain. We both wish to know what your purposes are with us, seeing as you did not kill us when you probably should have. I would like to know as well. To be honest I thought it would be a suicide run for us but you instead cuffed us. Do you know why that is?" she pointed to question over his shoulder to Harrison.

"Oh I have a few ideas that come to mind. Do not worry yourself darling, he will reveal his intentions soon I believe. After all, the man loves to hear himself talk." Kirk clenched his jaw and watched Lara's face as Harrison talked. As he watched her stare at Harrison Jim saw something in her eyes that he thought he would only ever see aimed at him. Love. He saw pure, unconditional love in those eyes as she gazed over at him. He even saw her tiny grin when he had called her "darling".

Jim felt his hands clench into fists, finger nails digging into the skin. _She isn't the same, that's not my Lara._ He repeated this mantra over and over as he made the short distance to the other side of the cell room to Harrison. He let his anger pour out in his words, hoping the man would understand how badly Jim had _wanted_ to kill him before. "Let me explain something to you. You are a criminal," he growled out at him,

"I watched you both murder innocent men and women. I was authorized to _end_ you. And the _only _reason why you are_ still _alive," he made sure to look between both criminals while saying this, "Is because I am allowing it. So shut-your-mouth." He said this and pointed at Lara right at the end. She simply stared back at him with a blank expression as if she knew it was not her turn to speak. Instead she rested her eyes on Harrison again and watched him in anticipation. Like she couldn't wait to hear what he would say next.

Harrison kept his eyes down, "Oh Captain are you going to punch me again over and over until your arm weakens," he slowly looked up and met Kirk's stare, "Clearly you want to so tell me, why did you allow us to live?"

Jim felt a wash of shame come over him, "We all make mistakes."

Harrison shook his head, "No, I had us surrender to you because despite your attempt to convince myself and Lara otherwise you seem to have a conscience Mr. Kirk. If you did not then it would be impossible for either of us to convince you of the truth." He paused and looked across to Lara as if giving her permission to speak.

"Two-three-one-seven, four-six-one-one." She said the words while staring at Harrison, voice carrying across the small space and echoing against the walls.

Harrison returned his gaze to Jim and continued, "Coordinates not far from Earth. If you want to know why either of us did what we did, go and take a look."

Jim narrowed his eyes, "Give me one reason why I should listen to you."

"I can give you seventy-two, and they're on board your ship Captain. They have been all along."

He watched Harrison for a moment longer then left without another word to either of his prisoners. Once Jim was gone Lara placed her hands against the glass and leaned toward John. "Will he go? Will he take them?"

"I believe so," he watched the space Kirk had just occupied for a pause then looked up at his companion, "Do you think he will?"

"The Captain is unpredictable or thinks himself so. He thinks he is better than everyone and therefore does not need to fall prey to the rules," she sighed, "It will be his destruction. And our victory." Lara grinned mischievously across to John.

John gave back a small, brief smirk then asked, "How is your hand?"

Lara looked down at her right hand, the palm was reddened and would tingle when she touched it, "Fine, healed quickly enough." Again she leaned up against the glass and stared at him almost like she was desperate to break through, "I was ready John. I was ready to die for you."

"You don't need to darling. Our plan is set in motion, now we simply wait."

Lara smiled at him, "Do you think he is jealous?"

"There is no room to think on such thing!." Harrison answered her sharply, silencing Lara. She looked down at her feet, like she had just been scolded. After a pause she heard John sigh, "Lara, I do not want you to dwell on old wounds. Focus on what is happening to you now."

She nodded and resumed leaning against the glass, "Right now I feel desperate for you John, and I don't want to wait anymore. We have been waiting for so long."

"All good things to those who wait darling,"

Lara grinned and sat down on the floor, crossed her legs and stretched out her back. She closed her eyes and breathed in and out deeply calming her racing mind and heart. After several moments she opened her eyes, only to find John staring at her with a sort of hunger in his eyes. She smiled, "I love you John Harrison."

John simply stared back at her; he watched her face and those dark, hypnotic eyes. "I know," he said without a smile or a shake of the head. But it was enough for Lara because she knew there was only so much he could give, and for her it was enough.

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><p><em>Questions? Comments? Concerns? I've never written a villain before so this should be interesting...anyways thanks for reading! lots of love!<em>


	12. She Falls Into Darkness Prologue

_Hellooooo my lovely readers! So if you haven't seen Into Darkness yet stop right now and go see it because fair warning, there are some spoilers coming up in this little prologue. ALSO the movie was freaking awesome, I've heard some people give it hate and stuff but don't listen to them. It is an action packed ride of thrills and good lord Benedict Cumberbatch you are just...*swoon*...I can't handle it sometimes. Anyways this chapter will act as a prologue to the next story. Last chapter in the timeline of the movie/my story won't have happened yet. Also this chapter takes place several months before the beginning of the movie if any of you were confused on that point._

_Alright I'll stop talking now, enjoy the read!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek...if I did...well Benedict Cumberbatch would probably never see the light of day (not creepy...right?)_

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><p>"I love you," She said and then quickly kicked him hard in the stomach, releasing her hand from the button on the console. Lara watched Jim as he was pulled away from her and toward the entrance. He reached out for her, almost like if he stretched far enough he could grab her and pull her to safety.<p>

Lara simply watched him as the elevator fell. The most she could muster up was a small, sad smile and then she felt the flames begin to climb up towards her feet. As Jim fell out of her line of sight she began to feel the tears trickle down her cheeks. The rocks and ash fell around her, the heat climbed higher and higher and she felt her throat begin to close up.

She coughed and fell to her knees holding her chest as it burned from the inside out. Lara gagged as another intense wave of heat washed over her, the metal of the lift began to burn but she hardly felt the searing pain of her burning flesh. She already regretted leaving Jim the way she had, that pain was enough for her. But she didn't regret saving him and the others. Jim had greatness in him she knew he did, all he needed was a little push...and if this is what it took for him to see that then so be it.

Lara's vision began to blur and she coughed again, this time blood fell out of her mouth. "Time to go," she said pulling out her phaser. She set it to 'kill' and pointed the end to her temple. Another tear fell down her cheek and her hand began to shake violently, "No more pain...goodbye James." She looked up at the collapsing cave, let the last of her tears fall and then pulled the trigger.

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><p><em>Beep. Beep. Beep.<em>

Lara felt her eyes flutter open but closed them almost as quickly as she had opened them. The lights above her were so bright, her head began to pound and she felt a cold sweat cover her body. Then she started to panic. Where was she? Why couldn't she feel her legs? Did she even have legs?

She heard the heart rate monitor begin to quicken, and her breathing turned hasty and shallow. Lara tried to speak but only choked out a small whimper. Moving her arms she felt several wires and needles pull and restrict her movements. Again she tried to scream but it came out airy and weak.

That's when she felt a pair of hands on her shoulders, holding her down and preventing her from misplacing any of the other wires. "Stop," came a voice above her. It was a deep, smooth voice with a smart british accent. Lara looked up and saw a man, handsome with bright green eyes and dark hair. He had full lips, and cheekbones that could cut diamonds.

She struggled against his firm grip, flailing as much as he would allow against the bed. "N...n-o," she finally screeched out. Her heartbeat raced even more and her head began to spin.

"You are going into shock, you weren't supposed to wake up this early," he looked around and eyed a vial of sedative, "Please Lara I'm trying to help you."

She stopped her fighting when she heard her name, "Wha...wh-o?" her dry throat allowed her to say.

"Just know that I'm here to help you," he said and adjusted his hair which had fallen into his eyes. He reached down for the vial of sedative and looked back at her, "That dizziness and your racing heart are signs that your body isn't quite ready to be moving yet. I'd say you need another week of rest before you can leave that bed."

Lara began to shake her head and tried to sit up but felt another wave of light headedness hit her. She fell back on the bed, defeated and terrified. Looking up at him she reached out her hand and grabbed the first thing that was in reach which was the sleeve of his shirt. "Ple...ple-ase," she croaked out, "Scared...af-afra..id."

He nodded and injected the sedative into her arm. Then he leaned down and gently caressed her forehead, "I'll be here when you wake up. You're not alone."

As she felt her eyes grow heavy and her heartbeat slow down she felt his warm hand against her skin. She couldn't explain why, but she trusted this man and knew she wanted to stay with him. He had called her Lara and that was her name yes but she couldn't remember anything else. Why was she on the table? What happened to her? And why did she have this itching feeling in the back of her mind? Like she was supposed to be running toward someone. When she felt the man's hand gently move her hair from her face she knew...it must be this man she should be running toward. Because who else would touch her so gently and fix her wounds with so much care?

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><p>"It will be two months tomorrow since I first found my new companion. She should be waking any time now," John Harrison spoke into the screen on his desk as he recorded his latest video journal, "At first I had intended to use this to document the effects of my serum, but as of late I have been using this to help sort out my thoughts. I must admit I have not enjoyed being alone and now that I have you, Lara, I'm hoping that you can be someone to confide in."<p>

John looked over his shoulder at her, lying on the table and sleeping peacefully. Turning back to the screen he continued, "Lara if you somehow find these I hope you can understand why I brought you back," he paused and looked down, "I am alone. I have been alone for several years and now that I am awake...I find myself craving companionship more than I did before I was...well," again he looked back at her and then back to the screen,

"There was no other way to bring you back from the dead. I was already on my way to the facility when it exploded and I watched the Enterprise warp away. I went to investigate myself and found you...buried in metal and rock. You were dead Lara, that is the truth of it. You blasted yourself with that phaser, were nearly crushed by everything...or burned. The only way to save you was to use the serum that made me. You are now as strong and fast as me. You're mind will function at an extremely higher rate...everything about you is enhanced. I do not know if that phaser blast to your head did any internal damage or anything else...we will have to run a few tests when you wake up."

John took a breath and reached over for a white mug. He sipped at the piping beverage and replaced it on the table, resting his forehead on his hand. "I am afraid you will not trust me," he looked back up at the camera only this time his eyes were rimmed with unshed tears, "I am afraid you will call me a monster or...refuse to...to be with me."

He covered his face with his hands and took a deep breath, "You really are beautiful Lara. And I would hate to see you alone in this cruel world. I..." John stopped as he heard a rustling behind him. Turning around he saw Lara sitting up, stiffly, and trying to move. He stood up from his desk and made his way to her.

Lara paused the recording. She had woken up almost a month ago and found John's video journals just this morning. Normally she would wake up early and find John in his lab or in his study. He had a fairly decent sized apartment in London...more like a penthouse. John had told her he had received at least 300 years of back-pay...since he is-technically-300 years old give or take.

He had helped her restore most of her memory. She now knew her full name, Lara Nicole Sheppard. Rank, Lieutenant and Chief Tactical Officer of the USS Enterprise service number 5378419-93. She had died protecting her crew members on an unnamed planet in an undisclosed location. Also, John couldn't tell her this, but she was certain there was a...relationship with the Captain. Every time Lara thought back to her memories of the Enterprise she would get flashes of a man with sandy blonde hair and crystal blue eyes in the chair. He was always grinning at her, like he knew something she didn't.

Unfortunately Lara found herself not wanting to return the smile. She felt...empty towards him. Even her own name and record meant nothing to her. All she cared about was finding out why that facility had collapsed, and why they had to "collect intel" when Starfleet must have known what was down there.

Lara flinched as memories of a giant, grotesque creature loomed over her. It looked human but it had been mutated and suffered so much pain that even then...whatever piece of humanity it once had was gone. And then there was the time John had helped her dig through the Starfleet archives.

She had remembered her parents and their sudden, tragic death. The apparent failure of the systems of their shuttle had caused the shuttle to burn up in the atmosphere, incinerating everyone inside.

John was suspicious the moment she relayed the story, so he dug. And what he found made her question everything. Her father, Commander Mark Sheppard was a scientific genius for his time. He was a part of Section 31, most of his operations caused him to be off-planet which usually left a young Lara and her mother Grace Sheppard to be on their own, except when Captain Grace Sheppard- also a member of Section 31-had to go off-planet as well. However Mark had done some digging of his own and found out the secrets of Section 31. He tried to move himself and his wife off-planet, leaving their daughter behind in order to keep her name clear and to ensure her safety.

Their death had been ordered by Admiral Alexander Marcus, a man determined to keep the secrets of Section 31 just that...a secret. Lara hadn't believed it at the time and even began to grow violent with her protests. How could the people she had so willingly served for years, the people she had given her life to, just take lives so swiftly and without question. Lara hated Starfleet, and she hated herself for following and believing in them so blindly.  
>Now she understood why John wanted to take down Starfleet and destroy everything the Federation stood for. They were corrupt, and they needed to be punished for their actions. And if that meant Lara and John had to go at it as a two-person army then that's how it would have to be. Their first target was Admiral Alexander Marcus.<p>

Marcus was the one who had brought John back, but now John had learned the Admiral's plans, to start an all-out war with the Klingons using weapons John himself had designed. Lara was disgusted by the Admiral's actions and hated that John was forcing her to wait. Still running his tests and having her go through rigorous training. Most of it was redundant and easy, but the hardest was the hand-to-hand combat.

John and Lara would fight each other until one would yield. And John was always much, much stronger than her. His serum had given her strength but she mostly excelled in speed and agility, where as John could crush a man's bones without blinking. Every time they fought she thought of Marcus' face, and how much she wished she could crush him or maybe even watch John do it...somehow she found more pleasure in that idea.

Lara squeezed the arms of her chair as she thought of the many different ways she could make Marcus suffer, only realizing then that she was severely damaging the leather. She released her grip and sighed, she still wasn't quite used to her new strength.

"Don't tell me you broke another chair."

She looked around and found John standing in the doorway. Lara grinned shyly, "It isn't broken just...worn."

John moved to stand behind her and examined the leather, "It'll pass just don't..." he stopped when he looked up at the screen which displayed the paused video journal.

Lara, realizing her mistake, quickly reached out to shut off everything but it was too late. John gripped her wrist firmly, preventing her from moving away from him. "J-John I'm sorry. I only stumbled on them I didn't look for them I swear!"

Without a word he pulled her from the chair, knocking it over and gripped her other wrist. He yanked her towards his chest and stared her down, his eyes so fierce she thought he might burn a hole in her forehead. Finally after he watched her for what felt like hours he spoke in a low, shaky voice, "You were not supposed to find those, I didn't want you to see."

Lara shook her head quickly, "I'm sorry John please forgive me. I won't touch anything in here ever again I promise. Please don't send me away...you're all I have."

She popped her mouth shut after she said the last words. She had been feeling it for a while. The flipping stomach, the loss of breath, the fluttered heartbeat. Everyday when she would wake up, she would walk out to the large kitchen and find John either stretching for their daily spar or sometimes he would be in his study, pouring over maps and star charts. Lara began to find herself wanting to see him every morning. She knew what she was feeling, but was so afraid to say it for fear that she might lose him. And if she lost him...she feared she might just lose herself.

John stopped and stared at her. He seemed to edge closer to her face before he released his grip and moved to the opposite side of the room. Facing away from her his voice echoed against the walls, "We cannot think like that Lara. It brings only weakness."

Rubbing her wrists she noticed a slight bruising begin to form on her skin, "John," she sighed watching his back, "Please listen to me..."

"Why should I?"

"Because I...I think I know what it's like. To have...feelings for someone else when you're in a dangerous line of work," he looked over his shoulder at her and she continued, "I remember my parents, they both loved each other so much. But both knew what might happen...so they spent every waking minute with each other and made the best of it. I-I'm not saying that because I love you or anything I mean...I think I can-love you-if you would let me but even then it would be difficult-but still I know I can look out for myself so you wouldn't need to worry about me or anything I mean that is if you are...worrying,"

As she finished up her long-winded rant she saw that John had faced her again and had taken a few steps towards her, closing the distance between the two. "You think you could...love...me? Love what I am capable of and what I have done?"

Lara twisted her fingers together and stared at her bare feet against the floor, "I would be falling for you-John-not what you've done," she looked up at him and leaned her head to the side, "You're afraid."

"I am terrified. You know what I'm planning," he moved closer to her, now they were only a few feet apart.

"You're fighting for your crew...your family. I want to help you get them back I..." again she rung her fingers and watched her feet, too nervous to look him in the eyes she said, "I want to be your family."

He closed the distance between them and gently reached out for her hands. Examining her wrists he said, "Already healing. Your body reacted to the serum perfectly."

She nodded and found herself unable to form words. Her heart was racing at an alarming pace, she hoped John couldn't hear the blood rushing to her ears.

John studied her face and asked, "Are you sure about this?"

"About us? No not one bit," Lara sighed and shook her head, "But I am sure when it comes to how I feel, and how I know I can feel."

He nodded and fought back a grin. "I think before we go any..." But he wasn't able to get out the rest of his sentence. Lara had taken the plunge and crushed her lips to his.

John responded almost immediately, wrapping his arms around her body and pulling her closer to himself. Lara wrapped her arms around his neck, one hand tangled at the base of his hair the other gripping the fabric of his shirt. "C-can we just," Lara breathed out pulling back slightly, "Not talk for about ten or fifteen minutes?"

"Of course," he agreed and returned to his previous position. He gripped her tighter and felt Lara jump up, wrapping her legs around his waist. John held her up with one hand under her right thigh, the other held across her back to keep her in place. He began to move out the study and toward the hallway. Lara started to kiss his neck, biting and gently sucking. John walked the short distance from his study to his bedroom, kicking open the door he quickly dropped Lara onto his bed.

She grunted and moved her hands to the edge of his shirt, intending to slide it up and off his body but he leaned up before she could get it over his stomach. He began to pull her shirt off as well but found it took too long, so instead he ripped the shirt from collar to waist. Lara grinned up at him and reached out for his shirt, copying his movements.

John leaned back down over her, kissing along her jaw and neck. Lara sighed and ran her fingers over the exposed skin of his back, feeling the goosebumps rise as her nails dug deeper into his flesh. John leaned up then and watched her face. Her pink lips were swollen, cheeks flushed. Her dark eyes stared up at him and bore a hole right into his very being. Running a hand over her chocolate colored hair he leaned down and kissed her more gently and more lovingly then before.

"Let me love you John," Lara said reaching out caressing his cheek and jaw.

He felt a tear fall, one he had not intended or planned on. So he smiled down at her and held her face in his hands, "Then love me, darling." He leaned down again and pressed his lips against hers softly but filled with so much passion. Lara could feel her heart begin to burst with overcharged emotions and she knew right then that she could never love anyone so much, ever again.

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><p><em>Soooo what did you all think? Confused about the relationship? Well don't worry cause I'm still working it out myself haha. Oh also if anyone would like to have their art featured for this story then go ahead and make a cover picture for "She Falls Into Darkness". Once I actually get my hands on the dvd I will make a whole separate story titled "She Falls Into Darkness" and I need a cover picture for it. So if you're willing draw me a pic and send it over. I'll set up a link where all the entries will be posted and everyone can vote on their favorites! Alright now I'm done talking...for the moment.<em>

_Leave a review/comment/question if you like! Thanks for reading!_


	13. She Falls Into Darkness Final Preview

_Hello my lovely readers! _

**_IMPORTANT INFORMATION!_**

_This will serve as the last "preview" chapter that I will post in "The Trek of the Stars". As of now there should be a new story posted entitled "She Falls Into Darkness" where I will have all of the preview chapters posted as well. Chapters 10-13 are now chapters 1-3 of She Falls Into Darkness. Go ahead and make your way over there to start following the progress on the new story because I will no longer be posting new chapters in Trek of the Stars. Sooooo...yeah that's it for now. Oh and big fat thank you to my beta datfluteplaya1714. Love you girl! _

_Ok I'll stop talking now...and read my note at the end...please_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek._

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><p>Fire. That's all she could see.<p>

"God damnit Jim go!" a voice echoed-her voice-against the walls of the cave.

More fire. Ash, rocks, metal...all falling. Chocking, coughing, blood. So much blood she could hardly breathe. "Time to go..." she whispered. Then the silver of the phaser flashed and she felt the burn in her head. It hurt. Her entire heard burned from the inside out.

Crystal blue eyes rimmed with tears watched her..._wanted_ her. She could remember his name...James...she said goodbye and pulled the trigger.

Lara shot her eyes open. She was lying on the same table from before and thought she could hear a voice echoing somewhere from the other side of the room. Attempting to move she found her limbs stiff and awkward. She sat up, with great difficulty and tried to swing her legs over the edge of the bed and nearly fell over in the process.

That's when she felt the same hands from before take her shoulders, "You're awake then."

Looking up she saw his face clearly for the first time. He was very handsome with pale skin and eyes so bright...so clear. "Wha...Who?"

He wrapped a strong arm around her waist and helped her stand, "Harrison, John Harrison."

Lara moved her eyes around the room quickly. She was in a lab of some sorts, makeshift, home-made. The memory of the man-John-putting her back to sleep before flashed in her head and she remembered how quickly she had trusted him. Is that right? She thought watching his face as she clumsily pushed him away and stood up on her own.

John turned to a small bed-side table and pulled out from the drawer a set of clothes. Handing them to her he instructed she put them on. Lara set the clothes on the bed and was nearly shocked when he walked out of the room, closing the door behind himself.

She looked down at the pile of clothes. A pair of black shorts and a black t-shirt. As Lara began to pull on the shorts and shirt she had more flashes of her dream. More like a nightmare, she thought adjusting the cotton shirt over her arms.

Lara thought about her dream. The fire and sounds were all so real. That man...his blue eyes. Then the memory of a blast of a phaser to her head hit her so hard she fell over. Knocking the bed on its side and causing a loud crash to echo against the metal floors.

She held her head in her hands as it pounded and she could feel the fires reaching out for her. "Lara?" John's voice carried across the room to her.

Without thinking she bolted for the nearest, unblocked exit which for her was the large floor-to-ceiling windows. Bursting through the glass she felt for the briefest of moments a sense of weightlessness. Then she was falling.

It felt like she was falling for ages until she saw the large metal garbage transport hovering just below her. Lara felt her instincts take over then. She aimed for the transport, straightening out her body, gaining speed the more she fell.

Just as she was about to hit the transport Lara tumbled and closed her eyes, letting her body take over. To her utter surprise she landed on her feet, knees bent and fists planted firmly into the metal of the transport. What? She thought looking around at where she had landed.

The transport was moving at an incredibly fast pace, causing the wind to kick up severely. Her hair flew all around her face as she straightened up and turned her eyes to the sky. Falling from that distance...should be dead. Lara looked down at her hands and knees. There was hardly a mark on any of them.

She heard a solid thump behind her and turned around to find John had landed on the same transport. As he stood and loomed over her she realized how much she had wanted to stay with him when she first woke up. But who was the man with the blue eyes?

"Lara please, I'm just trying to help you." He called to her as calmly as he could over the noise.

Shaking her head at him she moved to the edge of the transport and looked down. "Too much pain," she whispered more to herself. Turning back to face him she pointed to her head, "Fire and ash dance in the memory. They don't make sense. They bring pain."

"I can take away that pain. I can make the memories go away." He stated the fact like he had rehearsed the line before, simple and calculated.

Lara paused and considered her words carefully before saying them, "I...don't want the pain...anymore. The memories...make my head hurt...his eyes scare me," she wrapped her arms around her body, trembling and feeling alone.

Again John edged closer to her reaching out a hand for her, "I can make that pain disappear. I'll help you..."

Lara turned back and looked over the edge of the transport. So many little things underneath the moving machine. All she would need to do was step off the edge, take the plunge and end the pain forever.

"Lara stop," John called to her, "You are all I have."

That made her stop. She looked back at him with wide, confused eyes. "All you have? You have...no one?"

John sighed, defeated, "All of my family are dead," he stepped closer and extended both hands to her, "Except you."

Lara walked to him, taking each step with care. When she was within his reach, he pulled her to his chest and let out a sigh of relief. Lara just stood in his arms, stiff and trembling. "It hurts me...John. The memories hurt."

"I can make them stop hurting. I can take away the pain."

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><p>"The man John says Lara should do this. Record herself and talk to no one. He says it helps her brain heal…not be sick anymore…take away the pain," Lara tapped her fingers against the edge of the desk and looked around her nervously, "Sometimes she feels like the ceiling might fall. Sometimes when a light is turned on, her head burns and she remembers the flames...how they tried to eat her. But Lara wouldn't let them."<p>

She sucked in her bottom lip and chewed the inside of her cheek, tapping the unfamiliar rhythms against the desk, "Lara stopped the flames from taking her life. She remembers that. The man John makes her sit and he counts down from five while she sleeps but really, she's awake. Lara only pretends it works so the man John doesn't get angry with her. Lara...killed...herself. Used the phaser and pulled the trigger. What was so important that she died for? She...I…ah..."

Lara held her head as the memories fought and pounded, "His name what was his name! Eyes so blue they look like sky and hair so soft it could make me cry," she banged her fists against the desk as she fought back the tears,

"James T. Kirk! Kirk! Kirk! Kirk!" she slammed her fists against the desk each time she cried out his name, "Lara remembers on her own! Lara remembers on her own! That is what she died for. The one who isn't here, with eyes like the sky and hair so soft it could make her cry."

She stopped and checked her surroundings. When she was sure she was alone she leaned in towards the camera and whispered, "The man John Harrison is a liar. Lara knows his name isn't John Harrison so who could he be? A spy yes, a spy from a different world. Ancient and forgotten, long past but never gone," she straightened up and looked around the room,

"John! John! Lara needs you! Come to where you first met and Lara will tell you good news!"

Looking back at the camera she grinned maniacally, "John wants her. But she isn't ready up here," she pointed to her head with the smile still plastered onto her face, "When Lara is back to normal, when she can push away the crazy and the man John can take away the pain...then she will want him. I can tell. Shhh...it's our secret."

LINE BREAK

John stopped the recording. Leaning back he realized just how close Lara had been to falling completely over the edge. In fact it seemed that she had. Talking in third person, speaking in rhymes, he couldn't believe she had come so far. That recording was made nearly two months ago. John looked at the screen; Lara's eyes were wild and bloodshot. He didn't want her to see what she had been like. Quickly trashing the video, he made sure to erase it completely from the computer before leaning back in his chair.

The phaser blast to her head had caused much more damage than he thought. So much so that she required direct injections of his serum into her brain. He had to put her under for those operations...definitely not his favorite. However the short term memory loss was expected.

It was true what she said in the recording. He did want Lara, but not just for purely physical reasons. He wanted so much more. He wanted her to be his family, his life, and even his...love.

John held his head and squeezed. He hated himself for thinking like this. Wanting-no-needing love when he knew how weak it made people. Love clouded the mind and replaced logic with irrational and emotional thoughts. But how could he deny her? Deny himself even? Marcus had woken him up and destroyed his only family, killed his entire crew. Now that he was free and alone...why not take the initiative and find himself a small amount of happiness?

At first he had planned to use Lara against Starfleet. Manipulate her into his own personal weapon and aim her at the hearts of her former crew. Who better to bring them down then a former friend who was thought dead but is now working for the enemy?

John stood then and walked out of his lab. Moving out and down the hall he passed by Lara's room. Before he knew what he was doing, he had his hand on her door knob and slowly pushed it open. Peeking in he saw Lara's form stretched out on the bed. Limbs tangled in the white sheets, mouth slightly parted, hair across her neck and sticking out in every direction. John walked to the side of the bed and reached down to move her hair away from her neck. As his fingers touched her skin she closed her mouth and turned over onto her side, stretching her arms above her head. John gingerly ran a finger across her jaw and found himself relived that she was finally getting a night of peaceful sleep.

Lara had been suffering from nightmares of her death, massive migraines and even had difficulty speaking in clear sentences. It had taken John weeks to get her used to a routine. Every morning she would wake up and he would have her go through tests and training. Mind games, puzzles, physical training...anything to help her mind get back on track. He had tried the hypnosis a few times but found that her now genetically enhanced mind was in fact too enhanced for it. She would pretend to sleep but luckily she always spoke the truth.

Lara now had the rare nightmare, but they were small and would hardly cause her to yell out in her sleep. She had also gained back her memory and what she had told him did not surprise John. Apparently she was in love with her Captain. James Tiberius Kirk had been her life-long friend and both had joined Starfleet wanting to escape their lives and move on to bigger and better things.

She had become friends with a doctor, Leonard McCoy and had a bit of a fling with him but that hadn't branched off anywhere. According to Lara, she had chosen the Captain and eventually...died for him. The unnamed facility they had investigated was an ancient remnant of Section 31. John's "super soldier" formula had been lost and it looked like this facility had been tasked with trying to recreate it. Obviously they had failed.

He backed out of her room, quietly shutting the door and leaning against it when he heard the latch click in place. _Stupid, and utterly ridiculous, _he thought gently knocking his head on the door. He couldn't love her, he cannot love her...no weaknesses.

That's when he heard her voice behind the door. "N...no...no more pain," John opened the door again and watched as she began to thrash against the bed, "Time...time to...to go."

He thought she was done but then she started screaming. Yelling out and fighting against some unknown force. John thought she would get past the small fit but when she started to violently scratch at her arms he intervened. He sat at the edge of the bed and grabbed her wrists. She fought him and kicked her legs, screaming out her fears.

"Lara," he said calmly as to not scare her even more, "Wake up darling. Lara wake up."

She struggled more but finally her eyes shot open. "Wh...J-John? John there was fire," Lara trembled, "The fire was coming for me."

"That was only a dream," he reached over and switched on her bedside table. Turning back to her he nearly fell over as she threw her arms around his neck. John sat there stiffly and unsure of what to do.

Lara sobbed into his shoulder, "I don't want to have nightmares anymore John. I don't want to be scared of the fire anymore."

John put his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her away. He looked at her swollen, red eyes and held her chin in his hand. His voice trembled and he fought back tears, "I promise you Lara, I _will_ make them go away. I _will_ help you."

Her mouth spluttered and another wave of tears fell. "Don't leave me," Lara whimpered and leaned into his chest, broken and in pieces.

He moved to sit against the headboard of her large bed; keeping her head on his chest he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "Go to sleep now," John said running a hand through her silken hair, "I'll be here when you wake up. You're not alone."

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><p><em>Well that's it for now. Don't forget to head on over to "She Falls Into Darkness" and follow the progress over there. <strong>ALSO<strong> you should probably know that I and my beta have come up with a pretty bangin selection of songs that sum up the story. I will post the link to the spotify playlist on my profile page **AND** you should also know that each song represents one (or two) of the three main characters of the new story (Lara, John Harrison, Jim Kirk). I won't say which is which because I'm afraid that will reveal my plans for the story so...I'll leave it up to you to interpret the songs as you hear them. Thank you so much for reading and the reviews/follows/favorites always bring a smile to my face._

_Kthanksbye!_


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